2025-03-11T12:34:40Z Read in app Meta's chief AI scientist, Yann LeCun. FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Meta's chief AI scientist accused the Trump administration of starting a "witch hunt" in academia.Yann LeCun said Monday that academics were at risk of losing their green cards "based on their speech."LeCun previously warned of US brain drain because of research funding cuts.Meta's chief AI scientist has ramped up his criticism of the Trump administration, accusing it of starting a "witch hunt in academia" that could undermine the US's position in AI research. "The Trump administration has started a witch hunt in academia, moving to cancel the green card of some folks and expel them based on their speech (so much for free speech!)," Yann LeCun wrote in a Monday LinkedIn post. LeCun, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist and one of the godfathers of modern AI, compared the situation to the Cold War-era Red Scare, referencing Qian Xuesen, a Chinese scientist accused of being a communist in the 1950s and deported to China.Qian later led China's nuclear missile program a move Dan A. Kimball, the United States Undersecretary of the Navy, later called "the stupidest thing this country ever did," LeCun noted.His remarks come as AI industry leaders warn that President Donald Trump's policies could weaken America's standing in the field. On Monday, a coalition of AI and tech groups sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, cautioning that Trump administration cuts to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, could hamper US AI leadership.While Trump supported AI research at NIST during his first term, his administration is now scaling back funding and public-private collaboration."We caution that downsizing NIST or eliminating these initiatives will have ramifications for the ability of the American AI industry to continue to lead globally," the groups wrote.LeCun has previously echoed these warnings. In February, he said that Trump's cuts to research funding could push US-based scientists abroad."The US seems set on destroying its public research funding system. Many US-based scientists are looking for a Plan B," he wrote on LinkedIn last month.However, LeCun's most recent comments appear to escalate his warnings, pointing to government pressure on the tech industry itself.While he noted the tech industry as a whole is not aligned with authoritarianism, "it has to survive in an environment where the government demands total submission under the threat of harassment into oblivion."LeCun also took aim at Elon Musk, writing that the billionaire is "aligned with authoritarianism, conspiracy theories, and the erosion of reliable sources of information."His remarks come as Meta and Mark Zuckerberg have taken steps that appear to strengthen ties with Trump and his allies including Musk.In the past seven months, Zuckerberg has praised Trump as a "badass" after an assassination attempt, met with him at Mar-a-Lago, donated $1 million to his inaugural committee via Meta, and attended Trump's inauguration.Meta has also cut back on fact-checking efforts, which some argue helps appease Trump's base, who have previously spoken out against what they have seen as Big Tech censorship of right-wing voices.LeCun did not address Meta's political stance directly, but his criticism of authoritarianism and Big Tech's vulnerabilities could be seen as at odds with the company's recent moves.LeCun, who has been at Meta for over 11 years, clarified in a LinkedIn comment that his influence at the company is "largely intellectual."Meta, LeCun, Musk, and the White House did not immediately respond to a Business Insider request for comment.

If I ever need a reminder that Im not a natural extrovert, I need only to look at the journal I kept during the early days of my improv classes. I am having incredible dread about improv tomorrow, I wrote one day. I would literally pay any amount to get out of this class, I moaned on another. You cant be bad at improv, but I feel like I am bad at improv, I wrote after a class during which I gave up in the middle of a game called Big Booty and said simply, I cant take this anymore.I had enrolled in improv because I was trying to become more extroverted, as part of a sweeping personality-change project that I document in my new book, Me, But Better. Extroversion is one of the big five personality traits that scientists say make up a persons disposition, along with openness to experience, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Extroversion is associated with socializing and cheerfulness, and as a hardened introvert, I knew I needed a mechanism to force me out of my house and into gregariousness. Improv seemed like the full-immersion extrovert experience. These perks of extroversion would only reveal themselves to me in time, after many, many hours of playing Zip Zap Zop against my will.But it wasnt going well, and at times, I thought about dropping the class or giving up altogether. Even after I got better at improv, I still felt nervous before every class. And the other activities I was doing to boost my extroversion like going on long hikes with strangers were only mildly pleasant, at best. I had this notion that, since I was an introvert, I should avoid difficult social situations like, well, improv class. Im glad I didnt give up, though. It turns out that behaving in an extroverted way can have surprising benefits, even if youre an introvert. And these perks of extroversion would only reveal themselves to me in time, after many, many hours of playing Zip Zap Zop against my will.What spurts of extroversion can do for introverts Compared to introverts, extroverts are happier, research unfortunately shows. An exhaustingly chirpy series of studies has found that social connection is one of the strongest predictors of well-being, and extroverts are more socially connected. In lab experiments, extroverts tend to interpret ambiguous stimuli more positively, hearing the word won rather than one, for example, or writing more uplifting short stories based on generic prompts. People who are extroverted as teenagers remain happier even when theyre 60.I understand that introverts might not be thrilled to hear this I wasnt, either. But Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychologist who has studied this phenomenon, says its worth focusing less on the extrovert part of this and more on the fact that these individuals are more enmeshed in community. Connection is really the key to happiness, Lyubomirsky told me. And there are ways to square your natural introversion with the universal human need for connection. You dont have to mingle with everyone at the office party, for instance. You can just call a trusted friend for a one-on-one conversation. Even hanging out with others and listening more than you talk can be a form of extroversion, Lyubomirsky says. One surprising thingIntroverts may believe that behaving like extroverts means going against their nature but this doesnt bother us as much as we might think. In one study, introverts even reported feeling truer to themselves when they were behaving like extroverts.While its true that extroverts enjoy talking, people, and attention, they also enjoy activity, period. Therefore, to boost your own levels of extroversion, you can just sign up for an activity in addition to improv, I tried sailing and commit to going, even if you dont plan to talk much.Though theres nothing wrong with being an introvert, several studies have shown that when introverts occasionally behave in extroverted ways, they experience more positive affect science-speak for good feelings. I started doing these studies because I didnt believe them, says John Zelenski, a psychology professor at Carleton University who has replicated this finding, and who himself is introverted. But it absolutely seems correct that if you get people to act extroverted and usually, that means socializing for a few minutes theres a big mood boost there.The reason for this twist is that behaving against our natures doesnt bother us as much as we fear it might. In one study, introverts even reported feeling truer to themselves when they were behaving like extroverts. Thats because, much as we might prize authenticity, we have other desires, too. We want to handle difficult situations appropriately, feel embraced by others, and accomplish our goals and most of us also want to feel happier and more connected. Sometimes, achieving those things means going against our natural personality traits. Lots of things that we may not initially like doing actually really benefit us, says Lyubomirsky, who, as an example, offered that she now loves running but took a while to get into it. A lot of things in life dont feel natural at first. Just because it doesnt feel comfortable and natural doesnt mean its not authentic. Authenticity can come from familiarity, and the only way to build familiarity is through experience.A desire to remain authentic is one reason people may balk at the idea of changing themselves either through personality change or otherwise. But living authentically can also mean acting in ways that feel, at first, uncomfortable, as long as those actions draw you closer to your values and goals. Many of us, if we followed the North Star of authenticity, would quit our jobs, neglect our families, and watch Love Is Blind all day. But what is instinctive is not always best.RelatedWant a better social life? Try these easy habits.This doesnt mean behaving like an extrovert constantly, just occasionally. I told Zelenski about a time I had to collect man on the street interviews as a reporter a horrible task that involves approaching random strangers and lobbing questions at them in an attempt to find a pattern of responses for your story. One freezing cold night in New Jersey, I didnt conceal my misery well enough. As I mangled my words and rubbed my hands together, one woman looked at me with pity and said, Dont worry, youre almost done. After a while, it does get old, Zelenski acknowledged. How to coax out your inner extrovert To figure out how to get better at these forays into extroversion, I called up Gillian Sandstrom, a senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Sussex in the UK. More importantly for my purposes, she talks to strangers on the street, on vacation, even in the sacred space of the London Tube. She researches the power of weak ties, casual acquaintances with whom we interact, but usually only briefly. People who have lots of weak ties, who make eye contact and idle chitchat with baristas and neighbors, feel happier than those who dont, her studies find.Initially, her research felt alien to me. I had stopped working in an office when the pandemic started, and I didnt miss it at all. I live in the suburbs, so I dont interact with many people unless I make a point to and I usually dont. Sandstrom told me shes the same way: Shes an introvert and tends to avoid demanding social situations. But she uses talking to strangers as a coping mechanism of sorts. If shes in a big, crowded room, she finds someone whos off by themselves and starts a one-on-one conversation. One way to open such a conversation is by making a statement, rather than asking a question. For instance, when Sandstrom is on public transportation, shell test the waters by complimenting the person sitting next to her. (She recommends remarking on something other than their looks.) Or, shell comment on something in the environment if they have a suitcase, shell ask where theyre going. One time, she was walking in a park and noticed a man smiling at some ducks. Arent they cute? Sandstrom said. She and the man ended up chatting for half an hour, since they were walking in the same direction. At the end of her conversations, Sandstrom just says something like, Thank you, its been nice talking to you, and walks off.Just like a mediocre movie wouldnt make you swear off cinema forever, one bad conversation shouldnt keep you from trying again.I told Sandstrom that I dont miss my weak ties much, and Im not really one for small talk. We either have to get to the bottom of your childhood trauma, or were not talking at all. The thing is, she pointed out, most weak ties probably arent going to become long-term relationships. I needed to set the stakes way lower. Her conversations tend to last just a few minutes, and sometimes, theyre nothing special. But just like a mediocre movie wouldnt make you swear off cinema forever, one bad conversation shouldnt keep you from trying again.Over time, these weak ties do benefit us, even if we dont especially notice them. They make us feel woven into the social fabric, Sandstrom says, like were part of something bigger. When I do talk to people, I feel better, she told me. Its almost always at least an average experience. And when a conversation is unusually engaging, it feels awesome, because I wouldnt expect there to be anything coming from it. RelatedValidate me, please!As I sped home from my first improv class, I detected something that, honestly, floored me. I was smiling. Even though I would continue to dread it for months, something about the whole exercise was just so fun. Im rarely immersed in something thats meant to be light and exuberant, as opposed to correct or exacting. Because it was the middle of the pandemic, it had been months since Id socialized with a group of people. The electricity of improv had invigorated me, in spite of myself.I found myself living out Lyubomirskys adage, that sometimes things that dont seem natural end up feeling pretty good. The pioneering psychologist Jerome Bruner said that you more likely act yourself into feeling than feel yourself into action, and I had literally acted myself into feeling happy. Sometimes, it seems, introverts should agree to do activities before we feel like doing them. Occasionally, you have to commit to socializing. If you wait until youre in the mood, youll never go. See More:

Exactly five years ago today, after more than 118,000 cases and more than 4,200 deaths across 114 countries had been recorded, the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus a pandemic. With the virus spreading rapidly around the world, the need for a vaccine was desperate but the prior record for the fastest development of a new vaccine to a new virus was four years Yet vaccines using the new technology of mRNA were developed by Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech in a matter of months, and were already being put into arms by the first anniversary of the pandemic.Rather than containing a weakened or dead virus, as most vaccines do, the shots contained mRNA or messenger RNA, a kind of genetic script that prompted cells to produce special proteins that would allow the body to develop an immunity to the novel coronavirus.While new Covid variants would later pose challenges in the pandemic, scholars at the Commonwealth Fund, a health policy research group, estimated that the Covid vaccines prevented more than 3 million deaths in the United States alone and 18 million hospitalizations from December 2020 to November 2022. Scientists, who are usually not prone to crediting divine intervention, called the mRNA vaccines a miracle. Four in five Americans received at least one dose; when we remember less than half of Americans get their flu shot each year, the high uptake of mRNA shots, at least initially, signaled a willingness from the US public to trust this novel technology. After most Americans received their shots, more people returned to work, more kids went back to school, and the economy began to rebound. And there was optimism that mRNA technology could be used to make better vaccines for other diseases. But even as the vaccines were actively pulling the US out of the pandemic, skepticism about mRNA technology was rising. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., still a private citizen at the time and one of the countrys most vocal vaccine skeptics, urged the first Trump administration to pull the shots. Now the nations top health official, Kennedy is reevaluating the US Health and Human Servicess contract with Moderna, which is developing flu vaccines targeting strains with high pandemic potential including the H5N1 bird flu that is currently driving fears of another pandemic. With Kennedy at the helm of HHS, scientists and public health experts worry that a major breakthrough in medicine development may now backslide. mRNA technology has shown the potential to deliver new cancer treatments and a universal flu vaccine, and could lead scientists to uncover even more applications. But now, mRNA vaccine development is in peril just a few years after proving its value.Why so many Americans turned against a vaccine miracleScientists had been trying since the 1990s to crack mRNA vaccines, but progress was slow, in part because it was difficult to secure funding. But when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Operation Warp Speed funded rapid clinical trials, expanded manufacturing capabilities, and offered huge purchase guarantees for companies that delivered an effective vaccine. President Donald Trump and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the USs top infectious disease research group. Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesmRNA vaccine development proved almost too good to be true during a real-life emergency. During the new Covid vaccines early clinical trials, they showed a 90 percent efficacy in preventing any symptoms at all.In the real world, the efficacy of early vaccines didnt quite live up to that hype. The Moderna and Pfizer shots were still very effective in preventing severe disease, but some vaccinated people did get infected. Many people reported experiencing unpleasant side effects like fatigue or body aches after their shot; some of them felt ill enough to miss work. And as more variants of the disease emerged and as protection that many people got from the vaccines faded over time, shots became less and less effective. For such purely biological reasons, there were some important caveats to the miracle that public health experts were touting. But those side effects fed into existing anti-vaccine sentiment, and many people activated by influencers and politicians who portrayed business closures and mask requirements as authoritarian measures of control began to turn against the Covid vaccines. By autumn 2021, less than a year after the vaccines debut, anti-vaccine communities were thriving, constructing an alternative narrative of the pandemic in which the disease itself was not actually that serious but the vaccine could alter your DNA or plant a chip in your body.Public embrace for the vaccine shattered and never recovered. Data from the CDC speaks for itself: Uptake for the booster shots that succeeded the original mRNA shots has plummeted; in November 2023, only 15 percent of Americans received the latest version of the vaccines.The low rates for Covid-19 boosters underscored growing misinformation: Four in 10 Republicans said in a January 2025 KFF poll that it was probably or definitely true that more people had died from the Covid-19 vaccines than from Covid-19 itself, which represented a 15-point increase from a July 2023 survey. Shifts in the national political mood have only entrenched this skepticism further. In December 2021, Kennedy said the Covid shots were the deadliest vaccine ever made. (Scientists have documented at most a few dozen deaths attributable to the vaccines worldwide after billions of doses were administered, and population-level analyses have detected no meaningful increase in mortality after the vaccines were introduced.) By February 2025, Vice President JD Vance was echoing some of those claims. I took the vax, and, you know, I havent been boosted or anything, Vance told podcaster Joe Rogan. But the moment where I really started to get red-pilled on the whole vax thing was when the sickest that I have been in the last 15 years by far was when I took the vaccine.Elon Musk, meanwhile, has emerged as something of a double agent, simultaneously embracing skepticism of the Covid-19 vaccine development while underscoring the risk of discrediting mRNA technology entirely. Musk claimed on his own platform X that he almost went to hospital after a Covid booster, before adding: That said, synthetic mRNA has a lot of potential to cure cancer and other diseases. Research should continue.Hes right. As Covid-19 has upended our politics and culture so thoroughly in the past five years, we are at risk of losing out on important medical innovations. That cure for cancer may never materialize if governments stop offering financial support or ban mRNA use, or if people simply dont trust it and wont take it because theyve become convinced by these conspiracies.But all of those things are unfolding at once.The US health departments recent decision to reevaluate a $600 million contract with Moderna to develop a shot that targets flu strains with particularly high pandemic potential has terrified public health experts. With H5N1 already percolating as a pandemic threat, former federal health officials have warned the decision could hamper our ability to quickly produce a new vaccine whenever the next influenza pandemic strikes be it bird flu or something else.Syringes in a box during a drive-thru flu shot clinic at the Louisiana State Fairgrounds in Shreveport, Louisiana, on November 5, 2020. Dylan Hollingsworth/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesAt the state level, Republican leaders, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have called for a ban on any vaccine mandates involving mRNA shots. Some state lawmakers want to press further, banning all mRNA vaccines for the people they represent. No such ban has yet become law but in the last year alone, legislation has been introduced in Idaho, Iowa, and Montana. I believe all the gene therapy products that are being used for immunization should be put on hold until we can determine their safety and efficacy, said Idaho Republican Sen. Brandon Shippy. (The mRNA vaccines do not alter your genes, as gene therapies made specifically for genetic disorders like sickle cell disease are designed to do.)Many Republican voters not only believe the Covid-19 vaccines killed more people than Covid did, but theyre souring on other parts of the public health consensus, including long-held recommendations for childhood vaccines. In a November 2024 paper, researchers looked at worldwide attitudes toward mRNA technology and discovered widespread negative sentiment and a global lack of confidence in the safety, effectiveness, and trustworthiness of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics.For now, mRNA development in the US and around the world continues. Scientists are working on a universal flu shot and respiratory virus vaccines. They are showing promising results with cancer vaccines, including for diseases such as pancreatic cancer that have resisted older treatments. Major pharmaceutical firms believe that mRNA could be harnessed to treat rare genetic disorders, too.Covid showed that the science behind mRNA technology works. The opportunity for major medical breakthroughs still exists. The question now after our collective experiences of the past five years, is whether we still want them.See More:

The Nintendo Switch 2 could fix yet another huge issue that owners of the first console will be all too familiar with, with the company reportedly looking to drastically improve voice chatTech10:39, 11 Mar 2025Updated 10:40, 11 Mar 2025Console-based voice chat would be a huge boon for Switch 2 ownersEvery day we get closer to the full Nintendo Switch 2 reveal on April 2, with the console's release date, launch lineup, and pricing likely to be revealed.And, almost every day, we hear news about the console righting the wrongs of the first console, too.Article continues belowWe reported last month that developers had mentioned the Switch 2 will have a much higher overhead for performance than the original console, one of the biggest complaints gamers had with disappointing ports, but it appears Nintendo isn't done there.Just as a patent suggested some bizarre attachments and mouse-like controllers, a new one makes it seem like Nintendo Switch 2 could finally fix the awful voice chat system from the first console.What does that extra button do?In the eight years I've owned a Nintendo Switch, I can't think of a single time i've reached for the companion app that Nintendo opted to run voice chat through, instead using third-party options like Discord when it comes to Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros.As per a report from WCCFTech, Nintendo could be looking to run voice chat on-device this time around, at least according to a patent which was published in late February.Voice chat at the OS level could be more akin to Xbox and PlayStation-like functionality which lets players chat using the system itself, rather than an additional app installed on your phone.WCCFTech also notes that the patent hints at proximity chat being a feature in first-party Nintendo titles, meaning you could chat to the person you drive past after hitting them with a Blue Shell in Mario Kart to let them know what a monster you are.The report also suggests it could be tied to the new 'C' button, which wasn't on the first console.Given how many OS-level features devices like the Steam Deck have, including frame counters and all sorts, here's hoping Nintendo finally brings voice chat into the console itself.April 2 should give us a deeper look at the console, so here's hoping we'll get confirmation either way. While Nintendo revealed what the console looks like back in January, there's still plenty we don't know although the US government helped suggest Amiibo functionality is back, among other new tidbits.Here's hoping we also find out when we can play it we're desperate to go hands-on with the new system.Article continues belowFor more on portable consoles and Nintendo's latest, be sure to check out why the Switch 2 doesn't have a confirmed Pokemon title yet, as well as Samsung's bendy concept for the future of handheld gaming.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

GTA 6 fans have spotted a sneaky clue that teased Trailer 1's release date and offers a date for the next one but is it all an elaborate hoax or will it prove to be true?Tech10:31, 11 Mar 2025Updated 10:33, 11 Mar 2025GTA 6 may be the most anticipated game of all timeGrand Theft Auto 6 is still expected to launch in 2025, but how much you'll pay for Rockstar Games' latest title is still up in the air.While we've heard the game could cost 80 for UK gamers, other experts have suggested the company will make up the cost with deluxe editions.Article continues belowWith the game likely being the largest entertainment launch in years, some have suggested the first new game in the series since 2013 could help 'save' the games industry. Still, it's all hypothetical for now, but one retailer has seen enough to list the game for a much higher price.GTA 6 is still coming this year (apparently)(Image: Rockstar)In a now deleted post on Reddit, one fan pointed out that Swiss retailer Brack, a reputable seller of games and accessories, had added a placeholder page.While no release date was listed, the game does have a price tag of 99 Swiss Franks, suggesting Brack is reading plenty of updates about GTA 6's price.In case you're wondering, that would mean UK gamers would need to pay around 87 for GTA 6, while those in the US would need to pay $113. If any developer can charge that much, you'd imagine it's Rockstar, but fans aren't pleased regardless."I don't think it's fake," one commenter said. "My conspiracy is that Rockstar pushed the idea of 100 to the media to prepare buyers without being the ones to deliver a shock when revealing the price."So, does Brack know something we don't? There's a good chance the answer is 'no'. As a former Nintendo employee explained when discussing the Switch 2 recently, retailers aren't as 'in the know' as you may expect.Content cannot be displayed without consentThey dont have that information. Theres no way that even Target in the US would know anything when we know the launch date, thats probably when the retailers are going to know the launch date," he explained at the time.On the plus side, one rumour recently suggested GTA 6 will launch in two parts, potentially making it easier to get started with either the story mode or GTA Online.For more on GTA 6, check out Rockstar's surprising link to British actor Danny Dyer, as well as everything we know about the game so far.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

Leaked Sony AI video makes the future of PS6 and next gen Xbox plainMichael BeckwithPublished March 11, 2025 11:29amUpdated March 11, 2025 11:29am If youve played Horizon Forbidden West, Sonys actions will feel even more aggravating (Sony)Next gen PlayStation games will feature AI powered characters you can talk to, if a leaked prototype from Sony is anything to go by.Whether you like it or loathe it (and chances are its the latter), generative AI technology is permeating more and more throughout society, and that includes the games industry.Over the last couple of years, publishers have grown comfortable with using AI generated artwork and voice acting, and now you have the likes of Microsoft threatening to make entire games with the tech.Microsoft is one of the most enthusastic about the technology and it seems increasingly likely that the boast about their next gen console having the biggest technological leap ever in a generation is related to AI. But if a leaked video from Sony is anything to go by, the inevitable PlayStation 6 could involve very similar next gen plans.According to The Verge, Sony has been working on a prototype for an AI powered version of Horizon Forbidden West protagonist Aloy. The prototype was allegedly developed alongside series developer Guerrilla Games and can apparently hold a conversation with players through voice prompts during gameplay.This comes from a video featuring one Sharwin Raghoebardajal (a director of software engineering who specialises in AI technology at PlayStation Studios), who demonstrates the AI Aloy in action, both in a demo environment and during a slice of gameplay in Forbidden West.The video was shared with The Verge by an anonymous tipster and uploaded to YouTube, although it has since been pulled due to a copyright claim made on behalf of Sony (thus confirming its legitimacy). It was up long enough for people to grab clips of it in action, though.Although Raghoebardajal stressed this is only a prototype, made to demonstrate the tech internally, he added, This is just a glimpse of what is possible. This very much implies that people within Sony are eager to push this tech and integrate it into future games.LOL PLEASE WATCH Mil The Outer Wilds (@melonsaurus.bsky.social) 2025-03-10T19:37:36.978ZIgnoring the irony of using Aloy a character whos forced to deal with the post-apocalyptic ramifications of shortsighted tech moguls for the prototype, the video doesnt answer any of the important questions it raises, like how does this benefit players and what sort of impact will it have on the people involved with making the games?The prototype uses Sonys Mockingbird technology to make Aloys face move, so does this mean the company wont commission human face models any more? (Aloys is Dutch actress Hannah Hoekstra.)If Sony can make Aloy say whatever it wants using AI generated voicework, is it going to keep bringing her voice actor, Ashly Burch, back in for future sequels? AI Aloy doesnt sound like Burch at all and voice actors are still on strike because companies want to record their voices only once and then use AI afterwards, without paying any royalties.Burch has already gone on record denouncing the tech. During last years San Diego Comic-Con, she commented on AI voices during a panel, calling the tech a huge concern for our professions, for voice actors and movement performers (via Deadline), so its unlikely shed sign any deal for Sony to artificially recreate her performance.Although Sony has been less publicly enthusastic about AI (its previous attempts to talk about it have been largely incoherent), when Microsoft unveiled its AI development tool, Muse, several anonymous developers emphatically condemned it and insinuated that while there is internal pushback against it people are scared theyll lose their jobs over it.Rather than the moral issues, the biggest sticking point with AI technology in games is that its untested and unproven. Even if you find AI Aloy answering questions impressive, its been demonstrated in a controlled environment and thus safe from the inherent randomness of an average person messing around with it.Its worryingly reminiscent of what Peter Molyneux promised back in 2009, when he demonstrated a tech demo for the Kinect called Project Milo, featuring a woman interacting with a virtual in-game character that could respond in real-time. As you can probably guess, plans for this to become a full-fledged game never went anywhere.Wiring up a non-player character to a ChatGPT style AI does seem an obvious use of the technology but not only has that not been successfully demonstrated in a game yet but Microsofts more ambitious plans, of using AI to create large portions of a game on the fly, are completely untested.More TrendingKinect may be relevant in more ways than one, in that its motion-sensing technology was used way before it was ready and, by its disappointment, put everyone off the concept in general.If AI was ready to be at the heart of the next gen game consoles you would expect to have seen an explosion of corporate and amateur tech demos by now, but instead its all been very simple, unnecessary things like doing low level artists and voice actors out of work.Publishers would no doubt love to generate whole games using AI, and Microsoft certainly seems to be trying to move in that direction, but theres no evidence so far of it being useful on that scale.That risks basing the next generation of consoles, including the PlayStation 6, around flawed technical demos to impress investors rather than technology thats actually going to make more entertaining games. 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It must be an early bit of St. Patricks Day luck thats delivered this awesome Amazon deal on the 13-inch 2024 MacBook Air with the M3 processor chip. Four-leaf clovers and horseshoes are the only explanation for why this latest-gen, ultra-fast, incredibly portable Apple laptop is selling for just $999 23% under its usual price, and its lowest price ever.See at AmazonThe 2024 MacBook Air with the M3 chip has been on the market for less than a year, so it is at the absolute peak of Apples powers. An 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU driven by the M3 give this MacBook absolutely insane levels of speed whether youre using the Air for productivity or pleasure 1.6 times faster than the previous-gen M1 MacBook Air and still contained within a beautiful and compact body weighing just 2.7 pounds and less than a half-inch thin with the lid closed.Power, Speed, and BeautyAll of the visual appeal that Apples MacBooks are known for is present in the 2024 M3 MacBook Air, particularly the standout 13.6-inch screen. The Liquid Retina screen is absolutely brilliant, supporting 1 billion colors and reaching 500 nits of brightness at 2560 x 1664 resolution. The 2024 MacBook air supports one external monitor with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz, and if you close the lid of the laptop it will run 2 external monitors with up to 5K resolution at 60Hz.This 13-inch MacBook Air comes with 512GB of built-in storage and 16GB of unified memory, more than enough to perform any task you want. Two super-fast Thunderbolt ports are your gateways to adding external monitors or portable hard drives for expanded storage, and the Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connections combined with the gorgeous screen a true streaming heavyweight.That blazing internet speed also makes the MacBook Air an elite videoconferencing laptop when paired with the 1080p HD FaceTime camera, three mics, and four speakers with Spatial Audio.Performance Plus AILike the rest of the M3 MacBook line, the 2024 Air is made for Apple Intelligence, the personal AI system that will be your go-to for breaking writers block, coming up with just the right email, answering questions, and generally getting things done. Apple Intelligence has tremendous privacy protection built in, so even Apple will never see or have access to your search history.The icing on the cake for the 2024 M3 MacBook Air is the 18-hour battery life, letting you use the many high-end features of the laptop for a full day of work, play, or both. This Amazon deal thats knocked $300 from the price of the M3 MacBook Air and dropped it to an all-time-low price of $999 could disappear as suddenly as it appeared, so speed is of the essence if you want to score this state of the art Apple laptop for an incredible price.See at Amazon

2025Deep purple is the new black, or, if the classic gaming brand Alienware had its way, it would be. Alienwares new AW2725Q 4K, 240Hz QD-OLED monitor with its twilight hue blends into the shadows of my faux gaming setup in my office like an extraterrestrial on the prowl, only to drown me in vibrant colors from its beautiful screen. The Dell-owned brands latest $900 monitor is excessive, expensive, and subdued, especially compared to last years large, wide, curved models. In many ways, thats to its benefit. Its a little overkill in others unless you plan to pair it with the latest and greatest graphics cards. Alienware AW2725Q 4K QD-OLED It is a beautiful-looking monitor with crisp visuals and solid built, though it comes for a pretty penny. Pros Cons The companys new monitor takes a page from last years ultra-expensive, curved AW3225QF (a new version of that monitor, the AW3425DWM, with the same purple aesthetic Alienware dubbed AW30). With its 32-inch curved display, that monitor was already a fine-looking, solid desktop piece offering 4K at 240Hz refresh rates. The new, 27-inch, square AW2725Q is a more simple offering thats not any less pricey at $900. Thats cheaper than last years $1,200 32-inch curved display, but when spending close to $1,000 on a monitor, you want everything you can get from a display, right? Alienware first announced this monitor during CES 2025, just as many other display makers announced their 4K, 240Hz devices. The latest Alienware monitor makes a case for itself by offering deep, deep color with the help of QD-OLED at its size. It sits at 166 PPI or pixels per inch. The size of the display usually impacts pixel density. For instance, a phone will usually sit at between 500 to 600 PPI on an OLED display. Still, that is rather dense for OLED. Alienware claims the PPI comes from a precise QD-OLED printing method during manufacturing, but all I can say is that the clarity on the screen is really nice. Its especially pleasant for those games awash in contrast with pretty, bright colors like Avowed or Marvels Spider-Man 2. Alienwares AW2725Q Is a Superb Though Somehow Subtle Screen Experience Kyle Barr / Gizmodo For those not in the know, QD-OLED is a type of display that runs parallel to the QD-mini LED, AKA QLED. It takes a typical OLED panel but adds a layer of small semiconductor nano-crystals, the titular quantum dots, enhancing the color of the OLEDs self-emitting display layer. If OLED already offers quality black levels, contrast, and color density, the QD technology is supposed to make it look even better. As typical among display aficionados, few can agree whether the QD aspect of QD-OLED does anything typical OLEDs dont already provide, especially on a smaller screen size than a larger television. All I can say is that the colors on Alienwares 27-inch monitor are constantly stunning. Even when not in the game, I would find myself staring at my PCs default desktop wallpaper, distracted by the deep sunset hues radiating from the display.The monitor supports Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, plus it has the .03 ms gray-to-gray response time typical of OLED. Its a certified DisplayHDR True Black 400 for vivid screen content. Whats more, the display is also surprisingly glare-resistant. Shining my phones flashlight directly at the screen doesnt reduce the visual quality much. I also experienced minimal reflections from the display. Even though this is the type of monitor youll always sit directly in front of, it has wide viewing angles, where the color does not diminish even sitting 70 degrees away from the screen. Kyle Barr / Gizmodo Kyle Barr / Gizmodo Kyle Barr / Gizmodo The displays stated brightness is 250 nits at SDR. Thats not great, especially considering your price for this monitor. It goes up to 1000 nits with HDR, but that comes with problems. Trying to mitigate brightness with the Dolby Vision on PC dramatically changes the contrast of whatever I was playing and washing those beautiful colors out. We noticed it with the AW3225QF, which also seems to be the case here. You can change these settings through the OSD (on-screen display) menu or Alienware Command Center Software.OLED burn-in is always something to consider for any display of this type. Its especially important if youre dropping $900 on a monitor you should be hoping to use for years down the line. Alienware claims its solved any immediate issues with an AI algorithm that regulates electrical current per pixel so that no portion of the screen suffers more than another. Of course, thats not something we can verify on our own. Instead, Dell does offer a free panel replacement under warranty. Alienwares 27-inch QD-OLED Feels Premium, Though $900 Is a Hard Pill to Swallow Kyle Barr / Gizmodo The AW2725Q has two HDMI 2.1 ports (one with eARC), a single DisplayPort 2.1, three USB-A, and a single USB-C for passthrough power up to 15 W. That might prove helpful if you want to make charging your mouse or phone a little more convenient. Its all standard for monitors of this size, even with the glowing Alienware logo on the back. The stand is the quality you expect from the Alienware brand, even if its mostly plastic on top of a metal frame. It can tilt from -5 to +20 degrees and swivel from -20 to +20. The stand only raises and lowers four inches, which you need for most desktop setups. This kind of monitor is made to pair with a similarly-expensive desktop PC. Ive been using the AW2725Q for my most recent GPU reviews. A 240Hz display could help show off your games at their prime when paired with frame generation capabilities of the latest AMD Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT GPUs. However, if were being honest, the high refresh rate is a boon to the lucky people who manage to get their hands on the latest high-end Nvidia RTX 50-series. Four-times multi-frame gen allows you to play some games at over 150 FPS. For the $2,000 Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, that graphics card can put out well over 200 FPS with 4x frame gen in a game like Cyberpunk 2077 with ray tracing turned on. And yes, it looks amazing on the AW2725Q.Will you actually be able to tell the difference between a game running at 140 FPS versus 240 FPS? Probably not. Frame Gen is only really beneficial for people who play single-player games. Multi-frame gens impact on latency is enough that any person looking to compete in multiplayer would have it turned off anyway. Pro gamer tournaments normally rely on 240Hz monitors. Anything more than that is overkill. It just means that only those spending too much on their desktop setup will experience their games at the absolute peak of whats currently available. So, for anybody else, the price is still hard to swallow. Alienware also has a $550 27-inch QD-OLED that maxes out at 1440p resolution. If you aim for 1440p gaming with your new graphics card, thats an option. If youre not dropping $2,000 on a graphics card, its hard to justify spending as much as your GPU on a monitor. Still, if you desperately need a new monitor to pair with your GPU, Alienwares latest will make your content sing.

Liu Jiakun and the Reinvention of Tradition in Chinese ArchitectureSave this picture!Rebirth Brick. Image Courtesy of Jiakun ArchitectsThe world watches China's development with a mix of admiration, curiosity, and apprehension. From massive infrastructure projectssuch as hydroelectric plants and a modern high-speed rail networkto the emergence of entire cities built from scratch, the country showcases an ambitious growth strategy and an impressive capacity for execution. However, this rapid progress also brings significant challenges and stark contrasts. On one hand, modernity asserts itself in futuristic skyscrapers and cutting-edge technology; on the other, there remains a pressing need to preserve the country's rich cultural and historical heritage, reflected in ancient temples, imperial palaces, and historic cities.Rapid urban growth has also introduced issues such as overcrowding, environmental pollution, increasing social inequality, and the loss of agricultural land. Large-scale urbanization has led to the disappearance of traditional villages, environmental degradation, and the homogenization of architecture and lifestyles in many Chinese cities. It is within this context that Liu Jiakun, awarded the 2025 Pritzker Prize, stands out for his subtle yet profoundly transformative architectural approach. His work responds to these and other challenges of Chinese society while valuing traditional materials and techniques, as well as the creation of communal spaces.His work fuses Chinese vernacular techniques with modern materials, resulting in buildings that are innovative, sustainable, and deeply rooted in their context. He frequently uses local materials such as rammed earth, brick, and wood, reinforcing the connection between his structures and regional building traditions. This approach not only preserves cultural continuity but also allows his buildings to integrate harmoniously into their surroundings.Save this picture!Save this picture!Furthermore, by working with materials familiar to local artisans and builders, Jiakun enhances the feasibility and efficiency of construction processes. The Pritzker Prize jury particularly highlighted his "reverence for culture, history, and nature," emphasizing his ability to create buildings that strengthen communities while respecting historical and natural contexts. This sensitivity is evident in West Village, a multifunctional complex in Chengdu that transforms an urban block into a vibrant communal space, integrating housing, commerce, and public areas around a central courtyard. The project's materiality reflects Jiakun's philosophy: the main structure uses exposed concrete, ensuring durability and an expressive character, while brick and wood elements establish a visual and tactile connection with Chinese vernacular architecture. Large glass panels create continuity between indoor and outdoor spaces, promoting transparency and spatial fluidity. Additionally, carefully integrated landscaping reinforces the concept of collective space, transforming the courtyard into an active meeting point for the community.Jiakun also frequently juxtaposes natural and industrial materials, creating a subtle dialogue between tradition and modernity. Instead of relying on excessive ornamentation, his minimalist compositions highlight the inherent beauty of materials, allowing their integrity to remain visible. This respect for materials results in structures that age gracefully and require minimal maintenance, reflecting his sustainable and timeless architectural approach.His commitment to sustainability extends to material reuse, incorporating recycled wood, bricks, and industrial elements to reduce environmental impact. A striking example of this approach is the Rebirth Bricks, developed after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Instead of discarding the debris from destroyed buildings, Jiakun transformed them into a new construction material, giving them new life and meaning.The process involved collecting and breaking down the rubble, which was then mixed with wheat straw fibers and cement to create a durable composite. After molding and curing, the resulting bricks were incorporated into various projects, such as the Shui Jing Fang Museum in Chengdu and the Novartis Shanghai Campus. More than just a technically efficient solution, these bricks symbolize architecture's ability to reconstruct not only physical spaces but also the memory and identity of a community, becoming an emblem of resilience and sustainability in architecture.Save this picture!The use of traditional materials and construction techniques reflects Jiakun's philosophy of creating architecture that is deeply rooted in its environment and daily life while also making bold and expressive statements. In his official statement upon receiving the Pritzker Prize, encapsulating his approach to design: adaptive, respectful, and profoundly attuned to its surroundings. Unlike architects who impose their vision regardless of context, Jiakun allows the site to inform and shape his architecture, ensuring that his buildings become natural extensions of their environments: I have always aspired to be like waterpermeating a place without imposing a fixed form, infiltrating the local environment and its essence. Over time, the water gradually solidifies, transforming into architecture and perhaps even into the highest form of human spiritual creation. Yet, it still retains all the qualities of that place, both good and bad. Save this picture!Save this picture!Liu Jiakun's work demonstrates that architectural innovation does not require a break from tradition. On the contrary, his buildings prove that the past can be a valuable resource for the future, offering solutions deeply rooted in cultural and environmental contexts. His work balances tradition and modernity, pragmatism and experimentation, always with a sensitive and conscious approach. By integrating vernacular techniques, recycled materials, and a strong sense of place, Jiakun creates architecture that not only stands out visually but also generates significant social and environmental impact. His legacy sets an important precedent: sustainability is not just about new technologies but also about respecting and adapting local knowledge.In an era of rapid urbanization and environmental crises, Jiakun's architecture serves as a model for a future in which buildings are not mere objects, but vital and integrated parts of their communities. His work reminds us that the most enduring architecture is not necessarily the most technologically advanced, but the one that understands and embraces the essence of its place and people.We invite you to check out ArchDaily's comprehensive coverage of the Pritzker Prize.Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorEduardo SouzaAuthorCite: Eduardo Souza. "Liu Jiakun and the Reinvention of Tradition in Chinese Architecture" 11 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027799/liu-jiakun-and-the-reinvention-of-tradition-in-chinese-architecture&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Hengqin Culture & Art Complex / Atelier ApeironSave this picture! Shengliang SuArchitects: Atelier ApeironAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:142560 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs: Lead Architect: Yunchao Xu More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. Yunchao Xu/Atelier Apeiron is proud to unveil its work on the 142,560m Hengqin Culture &Art Complex, a community focal point in one of China's fastest-growing cities, built to serve the entire Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.The Hengqin Culture and Art Complex held an opening lighting ceremony on September 14, 2024, and entered the trial operation stage. On thethird anniversary of the establishment of the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone, this building adheres to the design concept of "Shanshui Hengqin, the Living Hall of the Grand Bay Area", and will gradually be opened to the public before the end of the year.Save this picture!Save this picture!A long road to Realization - In the more than a decade that has followed Chinese government approval of the massive and ambitious urban development of Hengqin Island, sitting at the crossroads of the Pearl River and South China, billions of dollars in investments have poured into the project referred to as the 'Hengqin New Area'. Dozens of major projects are being developed, all within walking distance of Macau, and only 34 nautical miles from Hong Kong. In the center of it all, the 106-square-kilometer island is a new addition to the populous region, with clusters of developments targeting the high-profile sectors of culture, creativity, and knowledge.Save this picture!Save this picture!The beating heart of a newborn city - In 2018, Atelier Apeiron won a competition launched by the Chinese government to field proposals for building the Hengqin Culture & Art Complex as part of a vibrant new community in China's third-fastest growing urban center after Hong Kong and Macao. The firm's winning proposal centered around its embrace of a new and innovative approach to the massive nine-block development. "The complex houses nine departments, but the requirements for each of them were independent and filled with contradictions," explains YunchaoXu, lead architect of Atelier Apeiron. "We approached it from the perspective of integrating nine independent buildings into a single complex, andwe convinced the client to give each department relative independence to proceed with a comprehensive strategy that resolves conflicts and stimulates public energy."Save this picture!Save this picture!Innovative responses - The unique setting of the Hengqin Culture & Art Complex was not without its challenges. The region's status as a typhoon-prone area in summer was a challenge requiring special considerations, including numerous wind-resistant material comparisons before deciding upon a light and flexible suspended glass curtain wall as a particularly efficient solution. Another challenging element was how to introduce natural light into such large volumes. Being on an island with a sub-tropic climate, the foundations of the expansive complex also presented a challenge, with a natural layer of silt that can cause stability issues. In response, the firm designed a basement as a sealed support space with anchor points to ensure maximum strength throughout the structure.Save this picture!Save this picture!Gateways of arts and culture - The site of the Hengqin Culture & Art Complex is wedged between existing residential towers and an open city park, and Atelier Apeiron devised a strategy for creating an energetic complex capable of accommodating a multifunctional future. As part of that strategy, the firm espoused an architectural approach defined by large-scale porosity, adapted to the high-density urban context of the site's surroundings. On the lower level of the complex, Apeiron applied a geometric concept of inverted catenary to create three magnificent arches of differing shapes, articulating an architectural language that combines Chinese and Western elements. Each arch serves as a gateway to a different hall that is unique in both character and program. To draw natural light into the inherently dark spaces, the firm cut a skylight above the arches to form connections with the rooftop gardens and also incorporated two diffuse reflectors that direct soft sunlight into the rooms. Composed of wood and bamboo panels, the arches provide a window of transparency between the facility and its surrounding urban life. By day, visitors will enjoy unobstructed external views of the adjacent park, while nights will be illuminated by the soft lighting emitted by the transparent arched halls, forming a stage background for a variety of public events to be held in the park. "Arches have been embraced as a critical form of architecture since the beginning of time and are prevalent in both Eastern and Western culture," explains Yunchao Xu. "To create strong structures with available materials, arches have been used to convert shear force in a horizontal direction into vertical force, ensuring that all points of the structure carry a shared load." Above the archways, modular space units have been integrated into the design to ensure maximum flexibility options for a wide variety of future programs. Additionally, small spaces have been integrated into the arch joints to house equipment and building services.Save this picture!Save this picture!A diversity of atmospheres - The massive complex designed to house nine distinct functions - a library, an archives center, a concert hall, a cultural center, an art gallery, a science museum, a women's and children's activity center, an elderly activity center, and a youth activity center - Yunchao Xu/Atelier Apeiron endeavored to desegregate the experience in order to create a truly communal sense of being. Designed as three urban living rooms, each arch leads into a unique space, comprising a Knowledge Hall, a Performance Hall, and an Exhibition Hall. In designing the Knowledge Hall, the firm drew inspiration from the Oodi library in Finland, where the function of the library has progressed beyond being just a space for reading services. Taking the concept of traditional libraries to new heights, the Knowledge Hall will feature a vertical village of crystal book blocks and will become a focal point of urban public activity. The adjacent Performance Hall serves as a cultural performing arts center, with a large open stage and black box theater designed for productions of dance, music, theater, and opera. Finally, the Exhibition Hall is defined by its porous space, where strategically placed 'cheese holes' invite scatters of mysterious natural light into a space conceived as a host venue for exhibitions of art and science. Together, the three halls offer visitors a range of parallel world experiences, all within the confines of a single complex. "The modular design of the complex ensures that each of the nine pavilions has its own distinct spaces, and the three large halls follow that same rationale," says Yunchao Xu. "Our vision is for the Hengqin Culture & Art Complex to be a vibrant, three-dimensional vertical city that will host millions of tourists each year, as well as a growing community of local residents, while seamlessly connecting with its surrounding environment.Save this picture!Save this picture!Integrated landscape and vistas - With its inspirations often derived from nature, Yunchao Xu/Atelier Apeiron has incorporated natural prototypes into its design of the Hengqin Culture & Art Complex, including terraces, caves, and cliffs. A stacked, four-story arrangement of rooftop platforms provides stunning publicevents. In designing the gardens, the firm conducted multiple studies to ensure optimal sightlines from each of the platforms.The base platform includes a semicircular stage and a circular auditorium, where the Macau Wedding Company will organize large-scale weddings,birthday parties, corporate team-building activities, and much more. At 24 meters, a platform designed as a children's theme park features sand pits, expansive play facilities, restaurants, museums, and family cafes. At 30 meters, another platform provides a shared garden, with the addition of staff canteens and cafeterias for employees to rest and enjoy their environment. Finally, rising 36 meters, a rain garden platform serves as anenvironmental zone, integrating ecology, a low carbon footprint, and green technologies as a sort of ecological laboratory. A spiral staircase invitesvisitors to ascend to a bamboo garden, where serenity and quiet moments can be experienced while enjoying a cup of tea adjacent to the SkyBookstore.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!A glittering landmark in a new skyline - Extending from a hill to the north, to a river to the south, the catenary curve of the Hengqin Culture & Art Complex has created a new skyline landmark. With the design of the Hengqin Culture & Art Complex, Yunchao Xu/Atelier Apeiron has embraced the experience of the multidisciplinary design process to evolve in its practice. In close collaboration with material scientists, botanists, climatologists, acoustic experts, and many other experts, the firm's experience and expertise have now been infused with a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of designing such large-scale cultural complexes. "This project is a milestone for our firm, and it opens new avenues for us to design innovative architecture in the future, based on more multidimensional thinking," concludes Yunchao Xu. "It has motivated us to expand the definition of architecture, and to push the boundaries of traditional design."Save this picture!Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officePublished on March 11, 2025Cite: "Hengqin Culture & Art Complex / Atelier Apeiron" 11 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027760/hengqin-culture-and-art-complex-atelier-apeiron&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save? / You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream