Zoom researchers unveil "chain of draft," which cuts AI token usage by 92%, transforming the economics of language model deployment.Read More

With Google data science agent, one scientist estimated that their data processing time dropped from 1 week to five minutes.Read More

Studio Fizbin's upcoming release, Reignbreaker, will be its last as studio shutters after 14 yearsWith no further work available, CEO says Fizbin had to "make this difficult decision"Image credit: Studio Fizbin News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on March 3, 2025 Studio Fizbin has confirmed its upcoming game, Reignbreaker, will be its last.In a statement spotted by Game Developer, founder and CEO Alexander Pieper said, "every magic show has an end, and after 14 years of giving it our all, Studio Fizbin will be winding down operations this spring (Q2) after releasing Reignbreaker.""The games industry is in a tough situation right now, and weve been affected like countless other incredible studios in recent months," Pieper wrote. "Our parent company Thunderful made the decision to drastically reduce internal development in November 2024 which, as Thunderfuls CEO Martin communicated in the latest quarterly report, also affected Studio Fizbin."Since then, weve been exploring various opportunities to work on after finishing Reignbreaker. Unfortunately, none of these projects will move forward, leading us to make this difficult decision."This means that Reignbreaker will be Studio Fizbins final game. We believe it's going to be the best game weve ever released, and our amazing team will be working hard to launch it on the 18th of March as well as providing post-launch support."Following the release, Peiper said the studio's focus would be to ship the best game possible, and support the "exceptionally talented team in finding new opportunities in the industry.""We'd like to give the biggest thanks to our team - those who are here until the end, and the many others who have found a different path on the way. Fizbin and its games are defined by its team members, and you all made this the most inspiring place to perform the world's most difficult magic trick: making games."Reignbreaker is set to release on March 18, 2025.Thunderful acquired Germany-based developer Studio Fizbin through its subsidiary Headup for an undisclosed sum back in 2023.Best known for its 2021 title Say No! More, the developer is also known for its puzzle platform game Minute of Islands, which was released in the same year.In the first two months of 2025 alone, almost 1200 developers have lost their jobs, with cuts and closures at Freejam, Splash Damage, Piranha Games, Jar of Sparks, Ubisoft, ProbablyMonsters, Iron Galaxy, Sumo Group, Liquid Sword, NetEase Games, Toast Interactive, and Night School Studio.

LatestMachine LearningWorld Models: The Blueprint for Intelligent Robotics and AGI 0 like March 3, 2025Share this postLast Updated on March 3, 2025 by Editorial TeamAuthor(s): Luhui Hu Originally published on Towards AI. In todays rapidly evolving AI landscape, robotics is breaking new ground with the integration of sophisticated internal simulations known as world models. These models empower robots to predict, plan, and adapt in complex environments making them not only smarter but also more autonomous. This post explores the technical essence of world models, recent advancements, their impact on robotics, and their potential role on the path toward AGI.Defining World ModelsAt its core, a world model is an internal representation that an AI system constructs to simulate the external environment. By continuously processing sensory data, a robot builds a dynamic blueprint of its surroundings. This internal model enables the system to:Forecast Future States: By simulating potential changes in the environment, robots can plan for various contingencies.Learn and Adapt: World models allow for continuous learning. As a robot interacts with its surroundings, it refines its internal model to improve prediction accuracy.Facilitate Decision-Making: With an integrated view of spatial and temporal dynamics, robots can make informed decisions even when confronted with uncertainty.This fusion of perception, prediction, and planning mirrors cognitive processes in humans, setting the stage for more advanced robotic behavior.Cutting-Edge Developments in World ModelsThe past few years have witnessed groundbreaking advancements in the technology behind world models:Algorithmic Innovations: Recent deep learning techniques have enabled the creation of models that not only simulate environments but also update in real time. These models leverage convolutional and recurrent neural networks to capture both spatial features and temporal dynamics.Industry Leaders at the Helm: Organizations like DeepMind and NVIDIA are spearheading research in this field. Their projects involve large-scale simulations that integrate vast datasets from high-resolution images to sensor arrays providing robots with a detailed understanding of their operational domain.Interdisciplinary Convergence: The latest research is marked by a blend of robotics, computer vision, and even neuroscience. Such cross-disciplinary efforts have led to systems that can handle real-world tasks from navigating crowded urban spaces to performing intricate assembly line tasks with unprecedented efficiency.These technical strides are not only enhancing robot autonomy but also reducing the need for extensive real-world training, as virtual simulations can preemptively expose the systems to diverse scenarios.Impact and Emerging Trends of World ModelsThe integration of world models in robotics is sparking a host of transformative trends:Increased Autonomy: With a robust internal simulation, robots can operate with minimal human intervention. Whether its autonomous vehicles adjusting to unpredictable traffic patterns or service robots adapting to dynamic indoor environments, the ability to think ahead is a game-changer.Enhanced Learning Efficiency: By simulating numerous scenarios internally, robots can learn more effectively from fewer real-world interactions. This not only accelerates the training process but also minimizes risk, especially in high-stakes environments like healthcare or disaster response.Synergy with Other AI Technologies: Combining world models with advancements in natural language processing and reinforcement learning creates systems that are not only reactive but also contextually aware. This synergy leads to more sophisticated decision-making frameworks and smarter robotic behavior.The impact of these trends is clear: world models are driving a shift towards more resilient, adaptable, and intuitive robotic systems.World Models and the Journey Toward AGIArtificial General Intelligence (AGI) remains one of the most ambitious goals in AI research. World models offer a promising avenue toward this objective:Holistic Environmental Understanding: By simulating every nuance of the physical world, world models provide a foundation for machines to develop a comprehensive understanding of their surroundings a prerequisite for general intelligence.Transferable Learning: One of the hallmarks of AGI is the ability to apply knowledge across diverse scenarios. World models enable this by capturing underlying principles that govern different environments, making it easier for AI systems to generalize from one context to another.Beyond Task-Specific Intelligence: While conventional AI methods excel at narrowly defined tasks, world models integrate perception, prediction, and planning in a unified framework. This holistic approach is crucial for developing systems that can reason across multiple domains and adapt to unforeseen challenges.Although world models alone may not yield full AGI, they represent a critical building block in creating machines that exhibit flexible, human-like intelligence.Transforming Robotics with World ModelsThe practical applications of world models are already reshaping the robotics industry:Adaptive Navigation and Interaction: Robots powered by world models can adjust their behavior in real time. Whether its rerouting to avoid obstacles or recalibrating tasks based on sensor feedback, this adaptability is vital for real-world operations.Collaborative Robotics: In environments where robots work alongside humans, such as manufacturing floors or healthcare facilities, world models enhance safety and efficiency. A well-informed robot can better anticipate human actions and respond appropriately, paving the way for more seamless human-robot interactions.Complex Task Execution: With detailed internal simulations, robots can execute multi-step tasks that require both precision and foresight. From intricate surgical procedures to dynamic urban navigation, world models are at the forefront of enabling robots to perform sophisticated operations reliably.The transformative potential of world models is clear they are redefining what robots can do and expanding the horizons of robotic applications.Conclusion: Charting the Future of Intelligent RoboticsWorld models represent a pivotal shift in robotics a move from reactive programming to proactive, adaptive intelligence. As these models continue to mature, they will not only enhance robotic performance but also serve as a stepping stone toward the broader vision of AGI. With their ability to simulate, learn, and adapt, world models are poised to unlock new levels of autonomy and efficiency, ultimately transforming how we interact with machines.Embracing this technology means embracing a future where robots are not just tools, but intelligent partners capable of navigating the complexities of the real world with human-like intuition and precision.References:Embrace the blueprint of intelligent robotics explore, innovate, and join the journey toward a smarter, more adaptive future.Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. Published via Towards AITowards AI - Medium Share this post

LatestMachine LearningImportant LLMs Papers for the Week from 17/02 to 23/02 0 like March 3, 2025Share this postLast Updated on March 3, 2025 by Editorial TeamAuthor(s): Youssef Hosni Originally published on Towards AI. Stay Updated with Recent Large Language Models ResearchThis member-only story is on us. Upgrade to access all of Medium.Large language models (LLMs) have advanced rapidly in recent years. As new generations of models are developed, researchers and engineers need to stay informed on the latest progress.This article summarizes some of the most important LLM papers published during the Third Week of February 2025. The papers cover various topics shaping the next generation of language models, from model optimization and scaling to reasoning, benchmarking, and enhancing performance.Keeping up with novel LLM research across these domains will help guide continued progress toward models that are more capable, robust, and aligned with human values.LLM Progress & Technical ReportsLLM ReasoningLLM Training & Fine TuningLLM Preference Optimization & AlignmentLLM Scaling & OptimizationRetrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)Attention ModelsLLM Evaluation & BenchmarkingMost insights I share in Medium have previously been shared in my weekly newsletter, To Data & Beyond.If you want to be up-to-date with the frenetic world of AI while also feeling inspired to take action or, at the very least, to be well-prepared for the future ahead of us, this is for you.Subscribe below to become an AI leader among your peers and receive content not present in any other platform, including Medium:Data Read the full blog for free on Medium.Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. Published via Towards AITowards AI - Medium Share this post

The Deluxe Illustrated version of The Lord of the Rings is the best way to enjoy J.R.R Tolkien's work in all its glory. It's one single volume containing the entirety of the LotR books as well as full-color illustrations from Tolkien himself. It's an enormous tome that also comes with two fold-out maps that reveal more detail of Middle Earth. It's also normally priced at a whopping $250 if it isn't discounted.Thankfully, Amazon has dropped its first big sale on this Lord of the Rings book. With a 57% discount, you can currently pick up this collector's edition for $107. This is the lowest the price has dropped on this illustrated book since last summer.The Best Lord of the Rings Illustrated Edition Deal at AmazonThe Lord of the Rings Deluxe Illustrated EditionIncludes illustrations from Tolkien himself.This isn't the lowest price we've ever seen for the deluxe illustrated edition of Tolkien's work, but it comes pretty close. With the discount, you can pick it up for $107.55, which is only about a dollar off the lowest price we've ever seen for this book. So if you've been hoping to pick up this great LotR gift for yourself or a loved one, now is a great time to do so.While this special edition includes all of the books from The Lord of the Rings trilogy, it doesn't include all of Tolkien's works. There are also deluxe illustrated editions of The Hobbit and Similarillon available. There's also a more affordable set of illustrated books you can buy that feature a different design and details.See more Lord of the Rings special editions:The Silmarillion Deluxe Illustrated EditionSee it at AmazonThe Hobbit Deluxe Illustrated EditionSee it at AmazonThe Lord of the Rings IllustratedSee it at AmazonThe Hobbit And The Lord Of The Rings: Deluxe Pocket Boxed SetSee it at AmazonWhat Comes With the Deluxe Special EditionThe special edition of The Lord of the Rings: Illustrated Edition is a single-volume hardbound book that comes in an eye-catching, intricately etched slipcase. It features a striking red-and-black design thats meant to evoke the novel's first edition. The book itself is 1,248 pages, and includes the entire fantasy epic and appendices. The text is corrected and reset, and printed in red and black ink. Interspersed throughout this massive tome tome are 30 illustrations hand-drawn by Tolkien himself. These include maps, color illustrations, and sketches. Also included in the package are two fold-out maps of Middle-earth drawn by Christopher Tolkien.Looking for more sales like this? We've also found a great deal on the Lord of the Rings 4K movie collection happening today.

Here are the best deals for Monday, March 3. Highlights include $39 Xbox controllers this time from Walmart, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy in 4K for under $50, a massive 24TB external hard drive for under $300, a well-reviewed set of noise cancelling wireless headphoens for $39.99, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora for $20, and more below.Xbox Controllers for $39Carbon BlackXbox Wireless ControllerRobot WhiteXbox Wireless ControllerWalmart has dropped the price on official Xbox Series X|S wireless controllers to $39 with free shipping. Two different color options are available: Carbon Black and Robot White. Not only is this the best controller to get for the Xbox at a reasonable price, it's also one of the best PC gaming controllers as well.The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (4K UHD) for $49.99The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy, Extended & Theatrical (4K Ultra HD)Save 23% off The Lord of the Rings trilogy in 4K Ultra HD, which includes both Extended and Theatrical Editions across nine discs. This deal is definitely one of the least expensive ways to get a physical copy of the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy in 4K, and it usually only comes around during Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day.Seagate 24TB External Hard Drive for $280Seagate Expansion 24TB USB 3.0 Desktop Hard DriveIf you're shopping for a huge amount of local storage, this is one of the best deals available right now. For a limited time, Best Buy is offering this massive Seagate Expansion 24TB USB 3.0 Desktop Hard Drive for only $279.99 shipped. That averages out to a mere $11.67 per TB of storage. The Seagate Expansion houses a single 24TB disk drive so it's no bigger than any other desktop hard drive. It features a USB 3.0 interface with roughly up to 100MB/s transfer speed, which is in line with what you'd expect from a traditional hard drive. It also includes recovery software.AstroAI L7 Tire Inflator for $22.99AstroAI L7 Tire Inflator and Portable Air CompressorYou should always keep a tire inflator in your car for emergencies, but you don't need to pay a premium price for a fancy one. Right now Amazon has this AstroAI cordless tire inflator for $22.99. We've seen it for a bit less before, but this is still a great price for a cordless tire inflator. It features a 4,000mAh power bank, enough to fill up all four tires to the proper PSI at least a few times over and has a USB Type-C input for easy charging. You can also use it to charge your phone in a pinch.Anker Soundcore Q20 Noise Cancelling Headphones for $40Anker Soundcore Q20 Noise Cancelling Wireless HeadphonesSave 33% off the Anker Soundcore Q20 headphones, now $39.99. This is a solid pair of headphones with wireless and hybrid noise cancelling technology that's hundreds of dollars less than other similar headphones we like to post on IGN. It also has over 80,000 reviews on Amazon with a 4.5 star rating. This is the updated model with USB Type-C charging.The Witcher Netflix Statues (Set of 4)Buy 4 statues and save 75% off. The set includes Ciri (Season 2), Vesemir (Season 2), Yennefer (Season 1) and Jaskier (Season 1) statues.$200 Off the Google Pixel 9Google Pixel 9 Pro (128GB)If you're in the market for a new phone, Amazon has currently dropped the price of the Pixel 9 from $799 to $599 after a $200 off instant discount. This is the best price we've seen for Google's current gen smartphone. When it comes to Android, the Google Pixel line has some of the best phones on the market. The Pixel 9 series that was released just last year has one of the greatest cameras on any smartphone and AI features that are really quite fun to play around with.Preorder Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Interactive Illustrated Edition on Amazon and Barnes & NobleNew $5 Price DropHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Interactive Illustrated EditionThere is a new interactive edition of the Goblet of Fire arriving in October that you can preorder right now at bost Amazon and Best Buy. Not to be confused with the books illustrated by Jim Kay, the interactive editions of Harry Potter feature wonderful illustrations as well as paper-engineered elements that pop off the page. This illustrated edition features 150 full-color illustrations and elements similar to a pop-up book. The new book is illustrated by Karl James Mountford and the papercraft designs were made by Jess Tice-Gilbert. This is a different group of creatives that worked on this book after the previous interactive illustrated editions from MinaLima were discontinued after The Prisoner of Azkaban.Price Drops on Arzopa USB Portable MonitorsArzopa S1 15.6" 1080p USB Portable MonitorArzopa Z1FC 16.1" 1080p 144Hz USB Portable MonitorArzopa is offering an excellent deal on a pair of Arzopa portable monitors. The Arzopa S1 is a 15" 1080p monitor with both USB Type-C and mini HDMI ports that pairs well with a Nintendo Switch. The higher end Arzopa Z1FC is upgraded with a larger display (16.1" vs 15.6"), a higher refresh rate (144Hz vs 60Hz), and better color reproduction (100% sRGB color gamut). The larger display and better color reproduction makes it a nice upgrade for Switch and Steam Deck.50% Off Mirabox Portable Nintendo Switch Dock ChargerMirabox 36W Nintendo Switch Dock ChargerSometimes bringing along the official Switch dock is a good idea if you know that there will be a TV to hook it up to, but unfortunately the dock is a little bulky and you'll still need to bring along a wall charger. Instead, you might want to check out the Mirabox Portable 36W Nintendo Switch Dock Charger, which is currently only $19.99 after a 50% off coupon code "50LPZWW1". This little gadget charges your Nintendo Switch (at its maximum charging rate) and has an HDMI port to connect your Switch to a TV. It has all the functionality of your dock in a more compact footprint.Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (PS5) for $19.99PS5Avatar: Frontiers of PandoraAmazon has dropped the price of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora to just $19.99, the same price we saw during Black Friday. IGN reviewer Tristan Ogilvie gave the game a 7/10 in his review, stating: "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora features a stunning alien world to explore with a refreshingly uncluttered approach to navigation, countless enemy bases to destroy and Navi clan sidequests to complete, and no shortage of exotic flora and fauna to harvest and hunt.Unicorn Overlord for $29.99PS5, Xbox, SwitchUnicorn OverlordAmazon dropped the price of Unicorn Overload across all three console platforms. You can pick it up your choice of the PS5, Xbox Series X, or Nintendo Switch edition for only $29.99. Unicorn Overlord is an outstanding fantasy tactical strategy game from Atlus and Vanillaware. If you like games such as Final Fantasy Tactics or Fire Emblem, you're in for a real treat. IGN rated Unicorn Overload an "Amazing" 9/10.Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5080 Gaming PC for $2,400Alienware Aurora R16 Intel Core Ultra 7 265F RTX 5080 Gaming PC$2,399.99 at AlienwareStarting today, Dell is offering an Alienware Aurora R16 gaming PC equipped with the new GeForce RTX 5080 GPU for just $2,399.99 shipped. This is one of the best prices you can get right now for an RTX 5080 equipped prebuilt, especially since most other brands seem to be jacking up prices steadily since the RTX 50 series launch in January. The only other prebuilt you can get at Dell with an RTX 5080 GPU costs over $4,000. Good luck trying to find a standalone GPU to build out your own DIY PC; you'll probably spend as much for the GPU as you would this entire system.Samsung 990 Evo Plus 2TB PS5 SSD for $129.99Samsung 990 Evo Plus 2TB PCIe Gen 4x4 M.2 SSDSamsung's newest SSD - the Samsung 990 Evo Plus 2TB PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe solid state drive - is on sale today for $129.99, which is actually lower than what I saw during Black Friday. This is an excellent drive for both your gaming PC and your PlayStation 5 console, with speeds of up to 7,250 read and 6,300MB/s write. This is a much faster drive than the 990 Evo non-Pro but not quite as fast as the 990 Pro. The main difference between this drive and the more expensive 990 Pro is that this is a DRAM-less drive. Because it is a single-sided SSD, it is power efficient and doesn't generate much heat, so you probably don't need to stick a heatsink on it, although you certainly could for peace of mind.Humble Choice Games for February 2025 (Last Day)Read more about this dealHumble Choice - February 2025See it at Humble ChoiceIf you're searching for your next new game to play, Humble Choice February is now live, and this is the perfect bundle to discover something new! This month, Immortals of Aveum headlines the bundle, with seven other games like Total War: Pharoah Dynasties, Fabledom, and more included. Instead of paying hundreds of dollars to grab these games individually, you can get all eight games for just $11.99 at Humble Bundle for this month only. Humble Choice March will start on March 4, 10am PT so there's not much time to take advantage of the current bundle.Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN's Deals account on Twitter.Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Apple published a new iPhone 16 Pro ad this weekend, and this one is quite special. To show the Audio Mix feature in action, the company recorded a music video using the latest iPhone but thats not all, as the clip also celebrates the Brazilian Carnival.Brazilian Carnival-themed iPhone 16 Pro adThe song Brasil em Cena by Jair Oliveira is performed by Brazilian singer Nilze Carvalho. According to Apple, the film celebrates Brazilian cinema to the sound of one of the most vibrant musical genres on the planet and is a tribute to the culture and grandeur of Brazil, where Carnival and cinema meet to tell an unforgettable story.With Audio Mix, iPhone 16 and 16 Pro users can choose from three different options that either reduce sounds and voices from sources not visible in the frame, reduce all background sounds and reverb, or put all the voices onto a front-facing track for a more cinematic result. The audio can be edited after the clip has been filmed.In Brazil, the ad was aired on TV during the Oscars 2025 broadcast. The country won its first Oscar with Im Still Here in the Best International Feature Film category.Also to celebrate the Brazilian Carnival, Apple has updated its website in Brazil with a carnival theme. Products such as the recently launched iPhone 16e and AirPods 4 are shown surrounded by confetti. The company has even launched a new section on Apple Music with Carnival playlists.In the past, Apple has made other Carnival ads, such as one to promote the iPhone 7 Plus and another to promote the iPhone X.You can watch this years ad below:Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Apple on Monday released the second beta of visionOS 2.4 to developers. While the update is primarily focused on enabling Apple Intelligence in Vision Pro, the new software also points to Apples headset coming to more countries soon. Thats because visionOS 2.4 adds support for two more languages.visionOS 2.4 adds support for Spanish and Italian languagesAs confirmed by 9to5Mac, users running the latest beta of visionOS 2.4 can now set the language of their Vision Pro to Spanish and Italian. Currently, the Apple Vision Pro operating system can only be used in the following languages:ArabicChinese (Simplified)Chinese (Traditional Hong Kong)English (Australia)English (UK)English (US)FrenchFrench (Canada)Deutsch (German)JapaneseKoreanSimilar to HomePod, Apple only enables support for a new language in visionOS when its about to launch Vision Pro in more countries. Most likely, Apple Vision Pro is coming soon to Spain and Italy. Although there are many other countries that also speak Spanish, visionOS code suggests that the system has been localized for the European variation of Spanish.Given that Apple says iOS 18.4 and visionOS 2.4 will be released to the public in April, its not hard to imagine that Vision Pro will arrive in these countries around the same time.Apple Vision Pro was launched first in the US and then in China, Japan and Singapore. In July 2024, Apple launched Vision Pro in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and the UK. The headset then arrived in South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Taiwan late last year.In the US, Apple Vision Pro starts at $3,499 for the 256GB version. There are options with 512GB and 1TB storage as well.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Chatbots from companies like OpenAI and Google appear to be sucking up much-needed traffic to websites and massively screwing publishers over in the process.AsForbes reports, new data from the content licensing platform TollBit shows that AI chatbots send a whopping 96 percent less traffic to publishers' websites than traditional search engines even as companies like OpenAI and Perplexity promise tangible gains to media companies that partner with them.When looking at metrics for 160 news and blogging publishers, TollBit found that AI companies' botsscraped those sites an average of two million times during the fourth quarter of 2024. Each page was scraped around seven times on average a click-stealing scheme, if you will, that results in zero ad revenue for the publishers involved, since bot clicks don't generate any money for advertisers."We are seeing an influx of bots that are hammering these sites every time a user asks a question," explained Toshit Panigrahi, TollBit's CEO, in an interview with Forbes. "The amount of demand for publisher content is nontrivial."Though chatbots do include links to original source sites when spitting out answers to questions that would otherwise be posed to a traditional search engine, these AI services also summarize the information scraped from those sites. As such, there's no reason for users to visit the links because the answer is already right there.Some publishers, like the textbook marketplace-turned-edtech company Chegg, are already feeling and fighting the financial burn from its work being repurposed as AI results.In a newly filed lawsuit, Chegg alleges that Google has "profoundly" harmed the publisher's ad revenue by including its content in the search giant's AI Overview feature. During a recent earnings call, Chegg CEO Nathan Schultz admitted that the damage to the publisher's bottom line is so severe, the company is considering going private or being acquired."Unfortunately, traffic is being blocked from ever coming to Chegg," Schultz said during the call, "because of Googles AIO and their use of Cheggs content to keep visitors on their own platform."Along with hiring Goldman Sachs to conduct a "strategic review" of just how many hundreds of millions of dollars the company has lost, Chegg also retained the Susman Godfrey law firm for its suit against Google and according to Ian Crosby, a partner at that practice, Google's AI Overviews are a "threat to the internet."Share This Article