InterviewsSkeleton Crew: Chris McLaughlin VFX Supervisor DNEGBy Vincent Frei - 06/03/2025 In 2021, Chris McLaughlin gave us insight into DNEGs work on Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Today, he takes us behind the scenes of Skeleton Crew, marking his debut in the Star Wars galaxy.How did you and DNEG get involved on this series?DNEGs involvement with the show started around January 2023, and our final delivery was around April 2024.What was your feeling to enter into this iconic universe?I was thrilled and a little terrified! It was a real privilege to get the opportunity to work in the Star Wars universe. I grew up on the Star Wars films, and Ive always been a huge fan of the production design.How was the collaboration with the showrunner and VFX Supervisor John Knoll?Collaborating with John on the show was a real pleasure. We met with him weekly to review our work and, as we neared the final delivery stage, these meetings became more frequent. Beyond providing invaluable critiques and guidance, he also shared references, concept art, and work from other vendors, ensuring a cohesive visual style across the production.How did you organize the work with your VFX Producer?Oliver Eikhoff was the VFX Producer at DNEG, and he was an invaluable collaborator throughout the production. In particular, I found that his support made a huge difference with helping to streamline communication between our teams in Vancouver, Montreal, and India. My organization and time management skills arent always the strongest, so Olivers assistance was instrumental in keeping everything on track and making the process much smoother.What are the sequences made by DNEG?Our work was mainly in Episodes 4, 7 and 8. In Episode 4 our work was mainly around the suburbs and school of At Achrann, and then in Episodes 7 and 8 we did all the VFX work for The Mint that is (spoiler) discovered beneath At Attin.The environments in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew are incredibly diverse, from desolate planets to bustling spaceports. What were the main challenges in creating such varied settings while maintaining visual consistency across the series?All of our environments were based on concept art provided by the production, which naturally helped maintain visual cohesion as everything stemmed from the same creative source.There are certain iconic visual motifs that are synonymous with the Star Wars universe, and while we did have opportunities to incorporate Kitbash and Greeble elements, the overall aesthetic was primarily driven by the concept art.Additionally, John would share work from other vendors working on the same episodes, ensuring a consistent visual language across the series. His guidance was also invaluable in recreating some quintessential Star Wars components for example, the way the Onyx Cinder lands or the amount of glow and frequency of flicker in Jods lightsaber.Did you rely more on practical sets or virtual production for creating large-scale environments? Could you explain the approach taken?In all of our sequences, the ground and certain key features were practical. In At Achrann, the set included piles of rubble and debris, destroyed buildings, and the spaceships entrance ramp, providing tangible elements for the cast to interact with. Similarly, in the Mint sequences, the landing platform and spaceship ramp were built practically. Beyond these key set pieces, everything else was shot against a bluescreen and later replaced with our CG environments.Were there any environments that were entirely CG, and how did you ensure they felt grounded and tangible, especially in sequences where the actors needed to interact with the setting?The majority of our work was creating full CG environments, so our CG Supervisor Eve Chauvet and Environments Supervisor Nelson Dos Santos had their hands full. For each environment, we started with a piece of concept art, which was always very detailed and effectively conveyed a very specific mood.At Achrann was a war-torn suburban area, devastated by destruction and surrounded by what looks like a decaying, drought-ravaged forest. For our scenes there, we built several key set pieces including a statue, a bombed-out school, and a destroyed house. Beyond these key elements, we also created a library of partially destroyed buildings, rubble, debris, overgrown plants, and trees to populate our scenes and build our layouts. These details were carefully placed throughout the scene, filling out the environment to enhance the sense of scale and devastation.The Mint sequence was just as challenging. The concept art was more specific than in At Achrann and required us to build some vast spaces populated with huge machinery and robotics. In addition to the concept art, we drew inspiration from real-world references such as massive industrial spaces and underground caves. Whenever possible, we added security droids as recognizable, human-sized elements to help emphasize the scale of the environment.The series features environments with rich details and atmospheric lighting. How important was the use of photorealistic elements, and what tools or software were key to achieving this level of realism?The majority of the detail in our environments came directly from the production design. While there were occasional opportunities to enhance or add embellishments, most of the design work was already set, leaving us to focus on building and lighting the environments.Given that all of our environments were large and expansive, we relied on a lot of atmospherics (smoke, haze, dust) to help convey the scale. In most cases, the atmospherics were generated by our FX team, and our Lighting Supervisor Sbastien Blec had an extensive library of smoke and haze elements that he could use to shape the look of our scenes.The security droids in Skeleton Crew have a distinctive look and movement style. Could you walk us through the design process, from concept art to their final animation?Many of the security droids in Skeleton Crew were full-size puppets, operated by puppeteers standing directly behind them. The droids legs moved in sync with the puppeteers leg movements, while their arms were controlled using rods. These rods, along with the puppeteers, were later painted out in post-production to create the final effect.Our CG versions were digital replicas of these puppets, with their animation closely mirroring the movement of the puppeteers. This approach gave the droids a natural, organic quality and a level of character and authenticity that I think would have been difficult to achieve through traditional keyframe animation.The character of Neel involved a digital head replacement. What were the main challenges in ensuring the CG head seamlessly matched the actors body movements and lighting?We had a digi-double of the actor that portrayed Neel, and we made sure that we had a particularly tight body track to his performance, particularly around the neck, shoulders and clavicle, which is always key when doing a full head replacement.We had a lot of examples of Neels practical head in surrounding shots in the sequence, so we had a lot of reference to work from. Getting the skin tone correct was also important it was more complex than it appears at first glance, ranging from blue through grey to pink. We spent quite a bit of time dialling that into our composites, ensuring that you could read the pinker, fleshier tones without it feeling too saturated.How did you approach the facial animation of Neel to preserve emotional performance while maintaining a natural and believable look?We had only a few shots where a full CG head replacement was needed for Neel, as most scenes featured the animatronic. When we watched the cuts of our sequences (which mostly featured the animatronic puppet) it was clear that Neel would be a fan favorite, so it was essential that our digital version stayed faithful to the practical performance.Our digital assets rig was built to match the capabilities of the onset animatronic, and we also ran a skin and hair simulation that would give us some movement in his ears, trunk and hair.The animation team took their cues from the animatronic performance. Neels mouth is mostly obscured by his trunk, but he has big, gentle eyes, which is where the majority of the performance came from, with lots of gentle blinks, soft eye darts and some moments of subtle wrinkling in the brow and nose.Looking back on the project, what aspects of the visual effects are you most proud of?I think the head replacements we did for Neel are very convincing, and I think you would struggle to distinguish between our head replacements and the animatronic. Im also very pleased that I now have a lightsaber shot under my belt!What is your favorite shot or sequence?Undoubtedly, my favorite shot is the Onyx Cinder swooping in for landing in Episode 4. It encapsulates so many quintessential Star Wars elements the undercarriage lowering, the roar of the jet engines, and the billowing dust, smoke, and sparks as it touches down. Our FX Lead Santiago Bono Plaza did a fantastic job with the simulations, crafting all the dust and smoke FX. Meanwhile, our Compositing Supervisor Chris Maslen ensured the ship was integrated into the many layers of smoke and haze.What is your best memory on this show?Being able to finally watch the show on TV with my son!Whats the VFX shots count?DNEG delivered around 150 shots for the show.What is your next project?I dont think Im allowed to share any details yet, but it involves another well-known character from my childhood!A big thanks for your time.// TRAILERSWANT TO KNOW MORE?DNEG: Dedicated page about Skeleton Crew on DNEG website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

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San Franciscos Treasure Island is an urban oddity. The artificial landmass was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1930s to hosts a Worlds Fair exposition in 193940, and it later served as a naval base. Today, Bay Area planners are leveraging Treasure Island for housing, a resource in dire need in San Francisco today, among other things. Maceo May Apartments by Mithun opened there last year, offering supportive housing for formerly homeless veterans.On Treasure Island, Olson Kundig is designing a new practice facility for Bay Football Club (Bay FC), the Bay Areas first National Womens Soccer League (NWSL) team. According to Olson Kundig cofounder Tom Kundig, the design leverages San Franciscos temperate climate, and affords sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito, the Bay Bridge, and East Bay.The facility will be located on Treasure Island, an artificial landmass built in the 1930s. (Courtesy Olson Kundig)Tom Kundig is the project lead. The design, he said in a statement, incorporates human-scaled proportions, natural materials, and central courtyards to provide a light-filled, well-ventilated environment that enhances performance and fosters a sense of home, Kundig said. The architects are using locally sourced materials and immersive environmental graphics to reinforce Bay FCs brand identity. The design of Bay FC Training Facility reflects Californias climate and cultural history, grounding it as both a symbolic and literal center of the Bay, Kundig said. Players commit to training together, building relationships, and working as a team every day. The design acknowledges the complexity of that commitmentto the sport, the team, and the place that supports them both.According to Tom Kundig, the design leverages San Franciscos temperate climate, and affords sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito, the Bay Bridge, and East Bay. (Courtesy Olson Kundig)Kundig added that the, Bay FC Training Facility is a home for athletes and staff, and during public events, the community is welcomed as a guest. Its more than a commercial space or an office, its personal and inviting, its a home where the team can connect with each other and sometimes host the wider community.Renderings show a low-lying building that sits nicely above a practice field, emblazoned with Bay FC iconography. The facility will have a balance of private and communal spaces, designers shared. There will be a total three training fields and dedicated recovery areas. There will also be education spaces to support career development and business training for athletes.The design uses locally sourced natural materials. (Courtesy Olson Kundig)Bay FC joins a growing list of professional womens soccer league teams to invest in new, purpose-built homes. Stantec is behind a new NWSL stadium in Boston, a project has been marred in controversy and community pushback. Generator Studio recently completed a new venue for the Kansas City Current.The new training facility is anticipated to open in 2027.

If youre able to pull yourself away from the third season of The White Lotus, in which Parker Posey plays a medicated Southern matriarch herding her family through a vacation in Thailand, you might have caught that she stars in a new advertising campaign for Gap. The 90-second video begins with Posey checking herself out in a mirrored elevator cab before dancing across a wide-open interior space set above L.A.s sprawl. But a light bulb goes off for real architecture heads: This location is none other than the infamous (W)rapper building designed by Eric Owen Moss Architects, the arc-clad warrior that stands guard at the border of Culver City and Baldwin Hills.Posey, supported by a cast of dancers, bops along the storefront glass, which is inset from the steel tubes that crisscross on the outside of the facade. She wears a striped long-sleeve t-shirt, wide-leg jeans, and a khaki trench coat, like a grown-up version of her character fromParty Girl with hot-mom vibes. (Though it should be stated that inBest in Showshe was reading J.Crew when she met her husband, and they favored L.L.Bean catalogs.)The campaign, titled Feels Like Gap, was made by industry-leading female creatives like photographer Amy Troost, director Talia Collis, and choreographer Sadie Wilking, according to press materials.Posey dances freely and with personality on a table; she passes through a portal in the concrete structure and hits the choreography atop the muted green carpet. Outside on the plaza, the routine intensifies, and the ensemble cast, wearing the latest Gap wardrobe staples, takes over before Posey reappears, smiling, and spins it out for the finale. And, scene!(W)rapper is a 16-story, 180,500-square-foot office tower by Eric Own Moss Architects. (Tom Bonner Photography)Inside the (W)rapperAlong the way, the (W)rapper is a hulking but largely benign backdrop. In one shot, we see a mezzanine with exposed steel structure, white PVC plumbing runs, and a yellow wall. The interior has just enough stuff and abstract texture to integrate into the moves as a stand-in for urban terrainat one point dancers run up the angled wall and pause, supported by a partnerbut not too much building-ality that it steals the show. In his review of the (W)rapper for AN, Ryan Scavnicky was taken with its oddity and the cement plaster finisher, despite its overall chaos: Seen at a distance, the building is a disagreeable, clunky, loud, uncomfortable hot mess. Yet encountered up close, parts of it are captivating. I felt joy experiencing all of the strange nooks and crannies inside the building. Plus, you start to see details like the texture of the cement plaster, which was troweled by hand.In the ad the building is a largely benign backdrop. (Courtesy Gap)Oliver Wainwright, writing in The Guardian, was similarly direct. He called it a bombastic tombstone of a bygone era, a carbon-guzzling monument to a time when architectural ego trumped the interests of people and planet.In a supportive blurb in last falls Of the Moment, set below his own picture of the (W)rapper, Thom Mayne wrote that the building reminds us that we find pleasure in the unpredictable. In the moments that remind us of the richness and diversity of L.A., in the sheer joy of coming across a part of the city that objects to being yet another block in an endless sea of blocks. To those who say you cant or you shouldnt, this building says, I will. Maybe a morale boost is exactly what we need right now. Confidence is a feeling, a feeling that youre free to be your best self. When I got to work for the Gap on this shoot, it reminded me of my early days being carefree and comfortable in clothes, and dancing how we wanted, Posey offered. I was inspired to see the next generation keeping that spirit alive it was cool and optimistic. Beyond starring in the video, Posey also curated an in-store playlist for Gap.Channeling the PastThe video channels the late-90s energy of Gap ads where dancers clad in khakis and color-blocked t-shirts cut loose or pose in leather, plus the creativity of Spike Jonze in classic videos like Fatboy Slims Weapon of Choice or the more recent HomePod campaign for Apple that starred FKA twigs.The video channels the late-90s energy of Gap ads where dancers clad in khakis and color-blocked t-shirts cut loose. (Courtesy Gap)Modern dance and architecture share a long, intertwined history. Both practices define space and employ the same techniques: geometry, proportion, scale, repetition, ornament, color, and light, Eva Alt wrote in PIN-UP. Alongside training architects, Bauhaus adherents also created dances, with amazing costumes. (Even a contemporary recreation of Oskar Schlemmers Triadic Ballet goes hard.) Perhaps the best recent artistic fusion was the accompanying video for Solanges genius When I Get Home album. Regardless, Poseys prancing raises an uncomfortable observation: It looks like that double-height floor of the (W)rapper still isnt leased? I guess the thirst for column-free floor plates, which mimic those of creative office warehouses, isnt so great that anyone feels the need to slake it. If Gap wanted to do a series of videos on the empty floors of recently completed class A buildings meant to cater to evil genius start-up types, there is no end of possible locations to shoot within.As architects continue to struggle with how to relate to popular culture, a meme-like question about the disciplines irrelevance arises: What if architecture is just the stuff that you film dance videos in front of? Any extended debate of this rhetorical query would be enough to have the youth saying Sure, Grandma, lets get you to bed. Best to leave it alone and relax, which is the goal of the Gap campaign: to embrace the power of comfort. May we dance like no one is watching and design like everyone is looking.

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BELLE CHASSE, LA - JUNE 4: Barges loaded with coal are seen in front of the ConocoPhillips Alliance ... [+] Refinery June 4, 2008 in Belle Chasse, Louisiana. The refinery, located in Plaquemines Parish, processes 247,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Oil production suffered significant damage in the state by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita but high oil prices have driven the value of Louisiana's petroleum and coal exports up 127 percent. Petroleum and coal exports totaled $2.5 billion during the first quarter of 2008 compared to $1.1 billion in the first quarter of 2007. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)Getty ImagesUrged on by faculty, students, and staff, the Cornell University Board of Trustees voted to halt new fossil fuel investments in 2022, after taking a serious look at the risk climate change posed to Cornells $6.9 billion endowment. Just a year earlier, environmentalists had launched their own inquiry into the retirement fund behemoth TIAA, which manages $1.3 trillion in assets, including $78 billion in fossil fuels.1 Shocked by what they found, the environmentalists launched TIAA-Divest, making the moral argument against investing in fossil fuels given their destructive impact on our planet. TIAA pushed back, citing fiduciary duties. Not giving up, TIAA-Divest launched an inquiry into the meaning of fiduciary duties for a retirement fund in todays changed climate.MANHATTAN, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2024/09/24: Participant seen holding a sign at the protest. As ... [+] part of the Climate Week actions, climate activists with TIAA-Divest held a rally outside pension fund investor TIAA (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association) Headquarters in Manhattan, demanding the company to divest their current $78 billion invested in fossil fuels. (Photo by Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images)LightRocket via Getty ImagesTIAAs fiduciary duties and fossil fuelsAccording to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, a fiduciary shall discharge their duties solely in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence under the circumstances then prevailingHow should a prudent asset manager approach fossil fuel investments in an era of rapidly accelerating climate change? ClientEarth attorney Ben Segal captures their dilemma:"Fiduciary duties are real but fiduciary duties are not a suicide pact.TIAA holds investments for its participantspredominantly university professors like myselfand pays out our investments when we retire. TIAA has a fiduciary responsibility to manage those investments to generate the highest income for its participants. So, lets say TIAA decides to rid itself of its fossil fuel holdings. The risk is that if the new investments produce lower earnings than its current fossil fuel holdings, its participants will be unhappy, and may even sue.But what if fossil fuel investments, which have been dragging for a decade, are headed toward disaster? Retirement funds are responsible for both the short- and the long-term. I am a near-retirement TIAA participant. I have a particular interest in my retirement funds not crashing over the next 20 years to the point where I am not able to recover their value during my lifetime. Young investors are concerned about the profitability of their investments over the next 50 or more years. Can we count on fossil fuel investments being profitable over the near-term, let alone 50 years?DENVER, CO - JUNE 13, 2015: The TIAA-CREF (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association - College ... [+] Retirement Equities Fund) building in downtown Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty Images)Getty ImagesWith the global average temperature having crossed the 1.5C threshold, extreme floods and fires are razing homes and businesses, leading insurance companies to withdraw from risky markets. And yet, fund managers continue to invest in the very products that are driving these catastrophes. Why? University College London economist Steve Keen points out that economists lack knowledge of the science of global warming. For example, in refereed articles, economists have claimed that if the planet warms to 6C above pre-industrial temperatures, the global GDP will shrink by less than 10%, and investment consultants have advised pension funds that global warming of 2-4.3C will have only a minimal impact on their portfolios. In contrast, scientists predict that even 1C of warmingwhich we have already passedcould trigger dangerous climate tipping points and any rise over 5C will result in damages beyond catastrophic, including existential threatsthat is, the end of humanity as we know it.Before retirement portfolio managers can prudently fulfill their fiduciary duties, they need accurate information about the prevailing risks posed by a climate change future. Yet, no one with climate science expertise sits on TIAA's Board of Directors.What are the climate risks confronting prudent fiduciaries?The risks that climate change poses to retirement incomes are not distant and small, but immediate and potentially wealth-destroying. According to the Center for International Environmental Law, those risks encompass:Physical impactSea level rise, unprecedented floods, and raging fires are some of the physical effects of climate change. In the U.S., fossil fuel refining and export infrastructure is concentrated along the hurricane ravaged Gulf Coast, creating significant risk of disruptions to oil and gas markets. In 2020, Hurricane Laura shuttered Cameron LNG in Louisiana for over a month. And after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston and Port Arthur in 2017, US retail gasoline prices rose by 13% in a matter of weeks.BLACK HAWK, LA - MAY 18: Flooded oil derricks are seen on May 18, 2011 in Black Hawk, Louisiana. ... [+] The oil industry is closely monitoring the flooding amid concerns that oil refineries in the region could be impacted by floodwaters. Heavy rains have left the ground saturated, rivers swollen, and have caused widespread flooding in Louisiana. Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)Getty ImagesStranded assetsAs societies confront the real costs of climate change, they are moving away from fossil fuels, resulting in billions of dollars in stranded assets. For example, TIAA is the worlds 4th largest holder of coal bonds, even as the three coal plants it owns are shuttered. The World Economic Forum estimates that the world would realize a net gain of $85 trillion from phasing out coal power, or 1.3% of current world GDP per annum leading to 2100.HOMER CITY, UNITED STATES - JUNE 12: With the shuttered Homer City Power Plant in the background, ... [+] at the Lucerne Reclamation project site in Center Township, PA, a worker moves coal refuse to be prepared for transport to be cleaned on June 12, 2024. The soil, contaminated by coal refuse, is cleaned and returned to the land where it is encased and covered with top soil and planted as a meadow. Ever since the Homer City power plant closed in June 2023, the town has been looking into an uncertain future with the loss of jobs and the largest contribution to their tax base. (Photo by Scott Lewis for The Washington Post via Getty Images)The Washington Post via Getty ImagesEnergy transitionThe transition to a low-carbon, renewable energy economy is here--and its happening a lot faster than forecast. The International Energy Agency predicts that renewables will overtake coal as the leading source of electricity this year, and that fossil fuel demand will peak by 2030. Further, solar investment in India and the U.S. is expected to reach nearly $25 billion over 2022-2027, a sevenfold increase over the previous five years. The 85% acceleration in expansion of renewables from 2022-27 is nearly 30% higher than forecast.LitigationAccording to the Center for Biological Diversity, by December 2024, eleven attorneys general and dozens of municipal and Tribal governments had filed lawsuits against oil and gas companies for deceiving the public about fossil fuels role in climate change. In responding to litigation brought by the city of Honolulu, the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal from fossil fuel companies to block lawsuits holding them responsible for billions of dollars of damages due to climate change. The Town of Carrboro NC has alleged that Duke Energy deceived the public about the transition away from fossil fuels and should be held responsible for the costs to rebuild after Hurricane Helene. And Oregons Multnomah County sued fossil fuel corporations for their role in the areas fatal 2021 heat dome.The Center for International Environmental Law summarizes the physical, asset stranding, energy transition, and litigation risks for the oil and gas industry:Fossil fuel companies that have rigs and rely on extensive infrastructure face physical impact risks; the effort to reduce carbon emissions may strand significant fossil fuel assets;changing demand for carbon-intensive fuels, the emergence of new technologies, and evolving regulations will subject fossil fuel companies to transition risk; and the impacts of climate change on property and human populations may present significant litigation risk.Port Arthur,TX, September 17,2008 Debris lines the side of a road near an oil refinery in Port ... [+] Arthur,TX left in the wake of Hurricane IKE.Photo by Patsy Lynch/FEMAWhat fiduciary duties are triggered by climate risk?Given known climate risks, prudent fiduciaries have duties to evaluate investment risks, monitor portfolios on a continuing basis, and act in accordance with updated plans. They must act solely in the interests of fund beneficiaries, including protecting them from misleading information, diversifying holdings to minimize risk, and acting impartially so as to not jeopardize long-term viability of investments to maximize short-term gains. According to the Center for International Environmental Law,All of these duties are triggered by the reality of climate change and how it will impact our financial markets, our society, and our global economy. Actively engaging with these financial challenges and opportunities can shield a fund from unnecessary risk and loss while allowing it to achieve prudent, safe growth. A failure to acknowledge and act to address these risks may lead to financial loss, litigation, and liability.To understand how fiduciaries balance their duties in light of climate risk, I reached out to Greg King, Chair of the Denver Deferred Compensation Retirement Board (who is also my son-in-law). He explained:Because climate has become a culture war issue, fiduciaries are backed into a corner. If they divest from fossil fuels, they could be sued by participants who think that their investments have underperformed, and if they dont divest, they could be sued by participants who see fossil fuels as posing an existential threat to humanity.Mr. King feels that a lot of the responsibility for addressing the climate crisis rests with the organizations hiring TIAA or another firm to manage their funds. For example, the City of Denver established a Retirement Board, which holds meetings six times per year, where participants are able to speak about emerging trends such as the climate emergency. Similar opportunities for input are not available to TIAAs university participants. Further, whereas universities allow TIAA to market its own funds, Denvers retirement fund provider is not allowed to offer its branded funds to participants. This opens up their offerings to a large and diverse group of funds, including ESG and fossil fuel-free options. Mr. King envisions that in the future, universities might pressure retirement fund companies to be more transparent in their reporting, and even lobby the federal government to standardize ESG criteria so all funds follow the same rules.DENVER - NOVEMBER 15: Downtown Denver skyline, photographed from the Jacquard Hotel rooftop in ... [+] Denver, Colorado on November 15, 2018. (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)Getty ImagesTIAA is addressing climate risks, but TIAA-Divest says progress is shamefully slowTIAA-Divest has made ten demands of TIAA and its subsidiary Nuveen. One demand is that the retirement company divest from all direct fossil fuel investments immediately and lay out a clear, rapid path to moving its funds away from all coal, oil, and gas. Another demand is transparency. Although TIAA says that it aligns its portfolio with a 1.5oC pathway, it does not disclose its portfolio-wide emissions. The complainants argue that TIAA actively misleads its participants by offering so-called ESG and social responsibility funds that are awash in fossil fuels. In a meeting with TIAA ESG and engagement leaders, TIAA-Divest complainants felt stymied in their attempts to learn more about the companys ESG commitments.I experienced this lack of transparency when I reached out to TIAA head of Responsible Investing, Amy OBrien, with a list of questions to help clarify their response to the claims brought by TIAA-Divest. Rather than responding to the charges, a TIAA spokesperson asked me to state the following in my article:Our purpose is investing for future generations to thrive. Rather than divest from major sectors of the economy, we seek to manage climate risk across a diversified portfolio. We believe this makes us better investors and stewards on behalf of our clients.We are fully committed to ensuring our clients have clear publicly available information on how we manage climate risks and opportunities for their investments. We continue to enhance transparency on this topic to align with the evolving needs of our participants and the world around us.We consider a wide range of stakeholder perspectives as we constantly evaluate how we can better serve our clients long-term financial interests in a responsible way.Frustrated by the vague language in the TIAA response, I reached out to TIAA investment management arm Nuveen, but received no response.TIAA did share its 2024 climate report with the unfortunate title of Staying the Course. According to the report, TIAA asked 100 portfolio companies that comprise most of our public markets financed emissions to disclose material climate-related information and to establish industry-leading strategies to manage climate risks. As the energy transition matures, so will our assessment of company progressshifting from standard disclosure to robust planning to implementation. An example of company engagement comes from Chevron, where TIAA advocated for the fossil fuel giant to participate in the United Nations (sic) Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 and continuously engaged Chevron on its methane abatement strategies. (Yet Chevron continues to bet on a fossil fueled future.) TIAA plans to transition from asking its companies for transparency to accountability to impact over the next 25 years, reaching net zero emissions in its General Accounts by 2050. For TIAA-Divest and the planet, this is too little too late.MANHATTAN, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2024/09/24: Participant seen holding a sign at the protest. As ... [+] part of the Climate Week actions, climate activists with TIAA-Divest held a rally outside pension fund investor TIAA (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association) Headquarters in Manhattan, demanding the company to divest their current $78 billion invested in fossil fuels. (Photo by Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images)LightRocket via Getty ImagesTo date, eleven universities have passed resolutions asking TIAA to divest from fossil fuels, and in 2024, the American Association of University Professors adopted a resolution urging universities and retirement funds, including TIAA, to divest from fossil fuels.This spring, TIAA-Divest is implementing its seven university strategy, using TIAAs biggest university clients combined leverage of $20 billion in TIAA investments to pressure the retirement company to take faster and more comprehensive action, appropriate to their fiducial duties and the risks posed by climate change.According to Caroline Levine, a national TIAA-Divest leader and professor of English at Cornell University (my employer), she and her colleagues realize that TIAA may not meet all their demands. They would be thrilled to see a climate scientist on the TIAA Board of Directors, and they expect TIAA to offer participants more choices in investing in fossil-free funds. (I tried to change my investments to fossil-free funds last year, and the TIAA advisor could only show me two such funds among hundreds to choose from.) TIAA-Divest would also like to see TIAA hold open meetings where participants can listen in and comment, as is common in other retirement funds.Professor Levine remains puzzled by lack of TIAA action. The urgency of fossil fuel divestment seems obvious as students increasingly share with professors their experiences of destructive floods, heat domes, and fires threatening their homes. Expressing her frustration, Levine shared As university teachers and researchers, we spend our lives committing to the wellbeing of students whose future is in our hands. At the same time, we are destroying these students futures with our investments.

AI is business more than technologygettyTheres good news when it comes to peoples experiences with generative AI - it delivers deep insights and content as promised. The challenge is now expanding on linited use cases to benefitting full-fledged enterprise activities. And, as with all things, organizational challenges are far greater than technology challenges.Having expensive AI technology on hand, and dropping it into a slow-moving organization will not deliver overnight miracles anymore than handing someone an expensive movie camera will turn them into the next Steven Spielberg. It takes people willing and free to learn and experiment to develop an AI-savvy enterprise.More than 80% of business leaders say generative AI has exceeded their initial expectations, new research out of Accenture finds. However, scaling this success to something bigger is a challenge only 13% are seeing significant enterprise level-value," the study, involving 3,400 executives and Accentures 2,000-plus gen AI projects, finds.Seven out of ten (73%) gen AI investments focus on functional use cases that address common industry needs, such as enhancing IT, customer service and marketing.Among those organizations that have been scaling AI to enterprise levels, theres an emphasis on forward-looking technology investments, the Accenture studys authors suggest. Enterprise AI leaders are six-times more likely to significantly increase their gen AI investments in 2025 to drive operational efficiency, automation, and optimized decision-making, and are three-times more likely to have a comprehensive data strategy to support their genAI efforts.In addition, enterprise AI leaders are looking at agentic AI, the next evolution of generative AI, and are five times more likely to have invested in an agentic architecture. "Agentic architecture will enter the mainstream in 2025, with three times as many organizations planning to invest in these capabilities compared to 2024," the report predicts.At the same time, the study cites a need to shift workforces from static job roles to dynamic, skills-based strategies. At this point, only 35% of executives report having a roadmap for how genAI will reshape their workforce coupled with the rapid pace of technological change that reduced the half-life of skills to less than five years.The Accenture team makes the following recommendations to see more benefits from their AI efforts:Employ AI to help people prepare for AI. AI-driven, personalized learning is helping close skills gaps, delivering tailored development that empowers employees to thrive in AI-augmented environments, the studys authors state. Overall, they add, leading AI organizations "are aligning talent strategies with the reinvention of workadopting skills-based workforce management, recruiting for potential and investing in broad-based AI upskilling."Get the leadership on board. CEO sponsorship is criticalcompanies with executive buy-in achieve at least three-times higher ROI, the Accenture authors point out. A way to build support is through targeted executive education. "Leaders at organizations achieving enterprise-level value are six-times more likely to deeply understand genAI. Tailored programs bridge knowledge gaps, build confidence and accelerate scaling."Establish clear and traceable targets. Set measurable targets for 360 value financial and non-financial outcomes that impact the P&L or balance sheet.Hack workflows and cut the silos. "Use genAI to reinvent entire domains, processes and journeys rather than launching narrow use cases. GenAI can hack workflows by analyzing data to reduce inefficiencies, minimize manual steps and uncover opportunities missed due to biases or siloed thinking."Recognize its data that makes the difference in AI. Everyone with a budget can acquire the latest and greatest AI tools. But it takes expertise and experience to build a data environment to fuel AI insights. Proprietary data sources, refined and tailored into core data products, are critical for achieving breakthrough insights and long-term differentiation, the Accenture team states.Ultimately, successful AI means change is on the near horizon for jobs and organizations themselves. AIs value will come out in redefining jobs and rewiring organizations to support fundamentally different processes and ways of working, the Accenture team states. This includes addressing bigger questions on organization design such as resetting and lowering boundaries, leveraging new multi-agent capabilities and supporting dynamic skills all of which are critical to creating value from AI."

Key TakeawaysIn a speech on Tuesday, Trump criticized the CHIPS act and called for it to be removed.He wants the remaining money to be put to some good use, such as clearing off some of the USs debt.However, as per inside sources, theres no real threat to the act yet. Its not going anywhere.On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said that the US should get rid of the 2022 CHIPS act that gave a $52.7 billion subsidy to semiconductor manufacturers. He called it a horrible, horrible thing.We give hundreds of billions of dollars and it doesnt mean a thing. They take our money and they dont spend it. TrumpTrump told House Speaker Mike Johnson to get rid of it immediately and use the remaining money (approximately $36 billion has already been paid out) for something fruitful such as paying off debts.However, as per inside sources, this is still just Trumps personal feelings and not an official decision. Theres no political basis to remove the act yet. In fact, in the current budget proposal as well, there was no sign of the act being in danger.What Is the CHIPS Act?The CHIPS Act was introduced by Joe Biden in 2022. While the world was slowly coming out of the two-year pandemic and lockdown, the US was hit by a massive chip crisis. Thats because the country was heavily reliant on foreign countries for chip imports.So Biden decided to incentivize chip manufacturing to boost domestic production. This is what Trump wants as well to boost production within the US borders and to reduce reliance on other countries. But he has an issue with the approach.For instance, he worries that this act will benefit China indirectly because some of the companies receiving the funds have ties with China. He also has a problem with big corporations, which are already making a substantial profit, and benefitting from this scheme.Most importantly, he is worried that while the act was a step in the right direction, it was not enough to boost domestic production. There needs to be a more rigid framework to ensure that the beneficiary companies are actually using the money to give back to the US.Is Dumping the CHIPS Act a Legit Solution?Trumps concerns are certainly valid but removing the act out of nowhere might not be the best way to handle it. For instance, companies like Intel have secured $7.86B from the CHIPS Act for its semiconductor manufacturing projects in Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio, and Oregon.Clearly, the Act has helped speed up the chips shortage in the face of growing demand for AI. A better solution can be to resolve the issues within the act.For starters, Trumps administration can create a tighter framework around who benefits from the scheme. Companies that are already financially stable or those who have ties with China can be excluded.Similarly, they can also create a set of guidelines that each company will have to follow if they want to benefit from this scheme. For example, they can direct companies to make their supply chain 100% US-based and to hire more local talent to boost employment.The ultimate goal is to make the US independent in terms of technology and the CHIPS act is a great tool for that. All that it needs is better execution and a little more control.Add Techreport to Your Google News Feed Get the latest updates, trends, and insights delivered straight to your fingertips. Subscribe now! Subscribe now Alpa is a senior editor with a wealth of experience in alternative finance, fintech, cryptocurrency, app security software, and the medical industry. She's currently an in-house managing editor with the Techreport team.Alpa is passionate about breaking down complex topics and sharing informative content that provides value. View all articles by Alpa Somaiya Our editorial processThe Tech Reporteditorial policyis centered on providing helpful, accurate content that offers real value to our readers. We only work with experienced writers who have specific knowledge in the topics they cover, including latest developments in technology, online privacy, cryptocurrencies, software, and more. Our editorial policy ensures that each topic is researched and curated by our in-house editors. We maintain rigorous journalistic standards, and every article is 100% written byreal authors.

Key TakeawaysGoogles new Vision Match AI feature lets you describe your dream outfit in your own words and then helps you find the perfect match.It has also introduced an AR-powered makeup try-on feature where you can see how certain makeup products look on your face before purchasing them.A similar try-on feature is also available for garments. You can now visualize a wide range of outfits on real-life models with their sizes ranging from XXS to XXL.On Wednesday, Google announced a new AI feature called Vision Match that will allow you to describe your complex fashion needs and find your perfect match.As per Google, people shop more than a billion times a day on that platform. However, not all shopping experiences are smooth. Its easy to find skinny jeans or a long evening gown, but when you have a very specific need, for instance, a knee-length green dress with polka dots and spaghetti straps, it can get complex. But not anymore.With this new AI feature, users can describe the product they are looking for in their own words and Google will create a few sample pictures using AI image generation to show what it might look like and also suggest similar products.How To Use It?Taking the example of the green dress mentioned above, lets say the first sample image is in mint green, so when you click on it, youll be able to see a bunch of mint green dresses. Similarly, if the next sample has an emerald-colored dress, when you click on it you will be shown a bunch of matching emerald dresses.Note: You can also access this feature by scrolling to the left-hand panel of the Shopping tab. There will be a button labeled Create & Shop.Trying on Makeup Looks with ARAlong with outfits, users can now also try on makeup products and makeup looks with the help of Googles new AR feature.For example, if you want to buy lipstick but youre not sure whether the shade will look good on you, you can try it on virtually.Similarly, if theres a whole makeup look that you like, you can try it on with the help of AR. Whats more, youll also get recommendations on similar products to use to create that exact look.How To Use It?The virtual try-on feature is also for garments. This feature was introduced in 2023 but was quite limited back then. Now you can visualize any garment, be it a skirt, top, pants, or a dress, on real-life models with their sizes ranging from XXS to XXL.All these exciting new features are limited to US users for now. But who knows, Google might soon plan a global roll-out.Add Techreport to Your Google News Feed Get the latest updates, trends, and insights delivered straight to your fingertips. Subscribe now! Subscribe now Vlad is Techreport's in-house Executive Editor. With over a decade of experience in tech content, he's passionate about computer hardware, an advocate of online privacy, and strongly believes in the open-source, scarce-money nature of cryptocurrency. When hes not working, hes traveling with his partner and their cat, learning Python, or reading good books. He never owned a PC he did not build. View all articles by Vlad Melnic Our editorial processThe Tech Reporteditorial policyis centered on providing helpful, accurate content that offers real value to our readers. We only work with experienced writers who have specific knowledge in the topics they cover, including latest developments in technology, online privacy, cryptocurrencies, software, and more. Our editorial policy ensures that each topic is researched and curated by our in-house editors. We maintain rigorous journalistic standards, and every article is 100% written byreal authors.