OpenAI is buying io, a hardware company founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive and several other former engineers from his time there, including Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey, and Tang Tan.Ive won’t be joining OpenAI, and his design firm, LoveFrom, will continue to be independent, but they will “take over design for all of OpenAI, including its software,” in a deal valued at nearly $6.5 billion, Bloomberg reports.About 55 hardware engineers, software developers, and manufacturing experts will join OpenAI as part of the acquisition. That includes Cannon, Hankey, and Tan. The first devices following the acquisition are set to launch in 2026.In an interview with Bloomberg, Ive called AI hardware misfires like the Humane Pin and Rabbit R1, “very poor products,” and said that “There has been an absence of new ways of thinking expressed in products.”The first product isn’t intended to be an iPhone killer, though: “In the same way that the smartphone didn’t make the laptop go away, I don’t think our first thing is going to make the smartphone go away,” Altman told Bloomberg. “It is a totally new kind of thing.”The Wall Street Journal reports that Altman and LoveFrom have been working together for two years and have considered options like headphones and devices with cameras.The first product the team has been working on “has just completely captured our imagination,” Ive said in a video.“Jony recently gave me one of the prototypes of the device for the first time to take home, and I’ve been able to live with it, and I think it is the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen,” Altman said.“I am absolutely certain that we are literally on the brink of a new generation of technology that can make us our better selves,” Ive said.“We gathered together the best hardware and software engineers, the best technologists, physicists, scientists, researchers and experts in product development and manufacturing,” Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a joint post. “Many of us have worked closely for decades. The io team, focused on developing products that inspire, empower and enable, will now merge with OpenAI to work more intimately with the research, engineering and product teams in San Francisco.”“AI is an incredible technology, but great tools require work at the intersection of technology, design, and understanding people and the world,” Altman said in a statement. “No one can do this like Jony and his team; the amount of care they put into every aspect of the process is extraordinary.”“I have a growing sense that everything I have learned over the last 30 years has led me to this moment,” Ive said. “While I am both anxious and excited about the responsibility of the substantial work ahead, I am so grateful for the opportunity to be part of such an important collaboration. The values and vision of Sam and the teams at OpenAI and io are a rare inspiration.”“A number of us looked at each other and said, ‘This is probably the most incredible technology of our career,’” Hankey said in an interview with Bloomberg.Update, May 21st: Added information from The Wall Street Journal.See More:

Famed Apple product designer Jony Ive will now lead creative and design work at OpenAI, the result on an unusual deal announced on Wednesday. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Ive have been working on an AI device that will move consumers beyond screens for roughly two years, according to The Wall Street Journal. “Thrilled to be partnering with Jony, [in my opinion] the greatest designer in the world,” said Altman in a post on X Wednesday. “Excited to try to create a new generation of AI-powered computers.” OpenAI is taking an all-equity stake in io, a joint venture between Sam Altman and Ive. The deal values the venture at $6.5 billion; OpenAI previously had a 23% stake, according to the Journal. Io has a staff of around 55 engineers, scientists, researchers, physicists, and product development specialists, per The Wall Street Journal. They will become part of OpenAI. Meanwhile, Ive will retain control of his design firm, LoveFrom, which will continue to operate independently. OpenAI and Ive’s collaboration puts one of the iPhone’s lead designers at the forefront of the newest technology wave, generative AI. Since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, OpenAI has amped up its consumer business significantly. Earlier this month, the company appointed former Meta executive and Instacart CEO Fidji Simo to lead its consumer applications. Should OpenAI release a consumer hardware device, Ive could help the startup directly compete with Apple. Io, under OpenAI, will develop AI-powered consumer devices and other projects. The Wall Street Journal reports that Ive will have an expansive role, giving input into future versions of ChatGPT and more. The Information first reported on OpenAI’s discussions to acquire io in March. At the time, the two companies had discussed building a device that would bring a version of the technology from the movie “Her” to life. Techcrunch event Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot for our leading AI industry event with speakers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. For a limited time, tickets are just $292 for an entire day of expert talks, workshops, and potent networking. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you’ve built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | June 5 REGISTER NOW

Expert Technical Artist - GraphicsCD ProjektBoston MA us2 hours agoApplyJob DescriptionCD PROJEKT RED is looking for an Expert Technical Artist with a focus in Graphics to join our studio in Boston to work on Cyberpunk 2, the follow-up to Cyberpunk 2077. You will bring your years of expertise, artistic and programming skills, attention to detail, and passion for creating outstanding visuals that deliver on our ambitious artistic and technical goals.Daily Responsibilities:Work closely with graphics engineers, designers, artists and other developers to understand visual targets and ensure all aspects of our rendering approach are aligned to deliver on our creative and technical goals.Look-development to establish and breakdown high bar visual targets developing processes and procedures mapping to real-time execution.Prototype, test, and extend rendering systems within Unreal Engine 5.Research emerging rendering trends and advancements.Develop and maintain procedures that manage visual coherence and integration of elements across scalability targets.Identify, investigate, troubleshoot, and resolve rendering and performance related concerns.Collaborate in establishing and maintaining GPU budgets/targets and content memory allocations providing guidance and assistance to content developers.Develop gyms and unit tests to support artist deployment of optimised and performant content.Foster cross-functional collaboration to ensure developed solutions contribute effectively to all systemic components.Partner, mentor and guide our art team in best practices and technical approaches to building and rendering our world.QualificationsMinimum 7+ years of experience in the video games industry with a focus and passion for rendering, shading, lighting, vfx, and/or realtime graphics.Solid understanding of GPU workflows (lighting, rendering, compute shaders), especially using Unreal Engine 5.Demonstrable professional experience developing functional and efficient shaders and materials that meet both visual and real-time performance requirements.Strong HLSL, GSL, or similar shader programming expertise.Professional experience with node based shading systems.Familiarity with Direct 12 or similar graphics API.Proven track record of building scalable lighting, shading, and material pipelines.Experience with profiling tools such as PIX, RenderDoc, Unreal Insights, or similar.Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.Demonstrated commitment to taking ownership, setting goals, exchanging knowledge and driving initiatives independently.Ability to think creatively and strategically to overcome complex technical challenges and drive innovation in technology.Nice to Have:(Please note that these skills are not required to apply for the position)Experience in tool development and automation using C++ or Python.Additional InformationThis job can be fully remote from the USA or Canada.Health & Well-beingCompany paid medical healthcare (dental vision & mental).Paid Leave — 20 days of holiday for every team member per year (26 days after two years).No dress-code — we like to keep it casual.401K with employer matching.Gym Membership Reimbursement.Perks & Professional GrowthFlexible working hours.Trainings, lectures and courses — internal workshops, knowledge-sharing initiatives, online tutorials, and e-learning classes are all available. There’s always something to learn!Merch — gifts for newborn rebels and regular chances to nab some cool swag!A welcome pack filled with goodies — to help you feel right at home once you join the team.Life in the OfficeDog-friendly office — dog owner? Bring your pooch with you and look after them while working! There’s always a furry friend or two to meet at the studio.Truly international working environment — a chance to meet and work with a diverse selection of people from all around the world.If you have observed any irregularities in our recruitment process please click here to report them.#LI-RemoteCompany DescriptionTo create revolutionary, story-driven RPGs which go straight to the hearts of gamers — this is our mission. Want to dive deeper into our company’s culture? Explore our social media and check out our YouTube channel where we share behind-the-scenes insights and stories direct from our team members! Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings. Apply

Maryse Bastié Middle School Reconstruction / Tectoniques ArchitectsSave this picture!© Maxime Verret•Dole, France Architects: Tectoniques Architects Area Area of this architecture project Area:  8248 m² Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2025 Photographs Photographs:Maxime Verret More SpecsLess Specs Save this picture! Text description provided by the architects. Built in 1974 by Jouven and Phelouzat (who also designed the neighboring hospital), the existing college is located on the south-western outskirts of the city center, in a suburban fabric that combines facilities, business parks, multi-family housing, and single-family dwellings. It is made up of several buildings arranged in an orthogonal system with no relationship to their surroundings. This functionalist architecture, poorly maintained, is now in a state of disrepair. The fragmentation of the buildings and successive additions have rendered the whole complex illegible and dysfunctional. The existing college is symptomatic of an ordinary heritage dating back to the 1970s, which has largely fallen into disrepute. Its transformation is now a necessity to meet contemporary environmental challenges. This implies taking a fresh look at it, as a heritage to be taken care of, an available resource rather than a clean slate. In addition to bringing the building up to standard and renovating its heating system, the project aims to clarify the formal and programmatic layout of the entire site in order to relieve congestion at the 550-student school, while increasing its capacity to 600. The project strategy must also take into account the need for a construction site on an occupied site, and therefore for phasing.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Tectonique's approach is to make the right diagnosis without preconceptions. It's a question of working with, repairing, and revealing the qualities of what's already there, in this case, the rationality of the constructive system that enables the structure's adaptability. The new image is thus a result, not an assumption. The intervention seeks to relieve the complexity inherited from the existing situation, in order to offer optimal operation over the long term. This is achieved through the simplicity and straightforwardness of the architectural and constructive features. First, the multiple additions are eliminated. The extension then extends the existing building using the same system, to the east to add a teaching block and half-board facilities, and to the west to reconnect the SEGPA section, which was previously isolated. The volume is also raised by one floor to create additional classrooms. This reconfiguration establishes a hierarchy between the previously very equivalent buildings, creating a more homogeneous and coherent whole.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The courtyard has been relocated to the south, on the side facing the town, which is served by a new forecourt with a canopy that doubles as a bicycle storage area. The entrance hall has been repositioned along the axis, at the barycentre of the plan, redefining a clear sequence from the public space. It opens onto a vast atrium with a monumental stepped staircase leading directly to the Culture and Knowledge Centre in its northern extension (in phase 3). This space redefines the centrality of this fragmented complex. It acts as a ball-and-socket joint between the various wings, providing better orientation within the building thanks to its openness to the landscape and its height. The exposed structure reveals the juxtaposition of different construction periods. The existing building is constructed using a "Stribick" prefabrication process, based on concrete floor caissons previously concealed beneath a false ceiling. These caissons are sandblasted. Revealing this structure characterizes the ambience, improves inertia, and makes the building's construction intelligible. The existing framework is envisaged as a generating system for the extension. The new parts reinterpret the coffered floors, using a timber solution of identical proportions. This relationship between the two construction methods blurs the distinction between old and new.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The project is based on an ambitious environmental approach that favors the use of local resources, whether through the massive use of Jura wood (640 m3) or the valorization of local know-how. Previously rightly described as a "thermal sieve", the building envelope has been considerably improved thanks to external thermal insulation using wood wool. Timber construction, which is largely prefabricated and minimizes nuisance, is also an appropriate response to the problem of a phased construction site on an occupied site. The facades are clad with green standing seam aluminum cassettes, evocative of Jura metal gables and the forest character of the region. The south-facing facade is enhanced by large sunshades suspended from a slender metal structure. These overhangs protect the facades and shelter the exterior longitudinal walkway. The composition of horizontal bands alternates aluminum and wood cladding, interspersed with wide windows. This new envelope unifies the existing and the new.Save this picture! Project gallerySee allShow less Project locationAddress:Dole, FranceLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this office MaterialsMaterials and TagsPublished on May 21, 2025Cite: "Maryse Bastié Middle School Reconstruction / Tectoniques Architects" 21 May 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1030329/maryse-bastie-middle-school-reconstruction-tectoniques-architects&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save世界上最受欢迎的建筑网站现已推出你的母语版本!想浏览ArchDaily中国吗?是否 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

Mario Kart World was originally designed for Switch 1 reveals Nintendo GameCentral Published May 21, 2025 5:01pm Updated May 21, 2025 5:01pm Mario Kart World only works on Switch 2 (Nintendo) The new Mario Kart for the Switch 2 was not originally designed for the console, as Nintendo reveals how and when the game came to be. The launch of a new console is always an exciting time but the first few years of a new format’s existence can be frustrating, when it’s obvious that most of the games were actually designed as titles for the previous generation of hardware. This has been exacerbated on the PlayStation 5, where Sony continued to release cross-gen games for much longer than usual. It was equally obvious with the Switch 1, given launch title Zelda: Breath Of The Wild was released simultaneously on Wii U and many of the other first party titles were also Wii U ports. The only similar situation so far for the Switch 2 is Metroid Prime 4, which is primarily a Switch 1 title, but Nintendo has revealed that Mario Kart World was originally designed for the earlier console, until they realised it was never going to work on the older hardware. Nintendo has revealed that they first started thinking about the new game way back in March 2017, when the Switch 1 was originally released. That’s not too surprising, as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a Wii U port and technically there’s never been a new Mario Kart made for the Switch 1. ‘I felt that in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, we were able to perfect the formula that we’d been following in the series up to that point, where players race on individual courses,’ says Mario Kart World producer Kosuke Yabuki in a new interview. ‘That’s why, this time, we wanted the gameplay to involve players driving around a large world, and we began creating a world map like this.’ The idea that Mario Kart 8 takes the original idea as far as it can go has been echoed by many, with Mario Kart World appearing to be the series’ Breath Of The Wild moment, where it radically changes the franchise’s approach. No previous Mario Kart game has had an open world environment but according to programming director Kenta Sato, the current Switch 1 couldn’t handle the ideas they wanted to include. ‘We discussed things like toning down the visuals, lowering the resolution, and we even considered dropping the frame rate to 30 fps in some cases. It was a tough situation,’ he admitted. ‘Once we decided to release this game on Switch 2, we expected our worries to evaporate all at once. I remember being overjoyed when I discovered we could express even more than we’d originally set out to.’ According to Sato, the decision to move the game to the Switch 2 took place ‘around 2020’, which enabled the team to expand their plans and ensure the game would still run at 60fps. More Trending ‘Back then, we already had an idea of the next console’s expected specs, but it wasn’t until a bit later that we actually received working development units. Until then, we just had to proceed with development based on provisional estimates,’ says Sato. ‘Once we decided to release this game on Switch 2, we expected our worries to evaporate all at once. I remember being overjoyed when I discovered we could express even more than we’d originally set out to.’ The whole four part interview is well worth a read on Nintendo’s website, with a lot of insight on both the game and how Nintendo prepares for the launch of a new console. Mario Kart World will launch alongside the console itself on June 5. Controversially, the game is £75 for the physical edition and £67 for a digital download. However, the game is effectively half price if bought along with the console, as part of the official hardware bundle. All this and now you can play as a cow too (Nintendo) Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. GameCentral Sign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

The lifespan of a games console has extended a lot since I was a child. In the 1990s, this kind of technology would be out of date after just a couple of years. There would be some tantalising new machine out before you knew it, everybody competing to be on the cutting edge: the Game Boy and Sega Genesis/Mega Drive in 1989 were followed by the Game Gear in 1990 and the Super NES in 1991. Five years was a long life for a gaming machine.Now, it’s more like 10. The Nintendo Switch 2 will be released in a couple of weeks, more than eight years since I first picked an original Switch up off its dock and marvelled at the instant transition to portable play. Games consoles often feel like they mark off particular eras in my life: the Nintendo 64 was the defining console of my childhood, the PlayStation 2 of my adolescence, and the Xbox 360 of the first years of my career, the first console launch I ever covered as a (ridiculously young) journalist. The Nintendo Switch came along just a few months after my first child was born, and for me it has become the games machine of that era of harried early parenthood.When I reflect on my experiences with the Switch, I remember snatching moments in Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule while the baby napped beside me; hiding on the veranda of a French villa to play the odd Splatoon match on our first family holiday; and trying to make a mint on my Animal Crossing turnip trades while walking my second baby around the house in his sling, trying to get him to sleep (he never did). When they got old enough, the first games I played with my children were on the Switch. We all played Pokémon Sword and Shield together, and most recently my youngest made his way through the surprisingly entertaining Princess Peach Showtime with only minimal assistance from me.Hello to the moo … The Nintendo Switch created a unique gaming space all of its own. Photograph: Justin Lane/EPAOver the last eight years, my living room TV became dominated by things like Bluey and Moana and most recently (god help me), Alvin and the Chipmunks, and I no longer have the hours of uninterrupted gaming time in the evenings. The Switch gave me some of that that time back, though, letting me dip into games whenever I had a moment – which gave me vital stress relief, a route back to myself during some of the most challenging years of my life. Eight years is a long time, enough for anyone’s life to change beyond recognition. In that time I’ve lost people, moved cities, gained new friends, too. And, of course, we all went through the pandemic. Animal Crossing: New Horizons became perhaps the defining game of that time, and I am not the only person for whom the Switch was a blessed oasis, a way to connect when we were starved of in-person interaction.Things have changed for me since 2017, as they probably have for you. Consoles feel like companions, especially perhaps the portable ones like the Switch and the Game Boy, which we literally carry with us wherever we go. My kids are older now, enjoying all the Switch games that I enjoyed when they were very small – and it does seem as if the Switch 2 will neatly mark another new stage, for me and for them.I recently gathered together all the Switch consoles, games, controllers and accessories in my house and my office for an audit, from the battered day-one unit that serves as the family console to the untouched OLED Zelda special edition my partner got me and the variably functioning spare JoyCons accumulated over time. It’s not quite time for them to join the other old consoles under my bed, each in a clear plastic box with all of its cables, ready to be dusted off when the time comes; the Switch 2 will take its place in my rucksack and in my office, but I won’t be upgrading the family console for some time yet. I don’t really wantA little sentimentality is forgivable at the end of an era. In a couple of weeks all the talk will be about the new console, how it’s selling, whether it’s worth the money, what the best Mario Kart World strategies are, and how it compares to its record-breaking predecessor. For now, I’m not thinking much about what the Nintendo Switch meant for the gaming industry; instead I’m thinking about what it meant to me.What to playBe who you wanna be … there are many lives to choose from in the latest RPG, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time. Illustration: Level5/Have you ever heard of Fantasy Life? It was a bit of a cult hit on the Nintendo 3DS in 2014, a cosy-feeling role-playing game that let you switch between 12 different professions, so you would be blacksmithing one minute, fighting monsters another and cooking things up the next. The sequel – Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time – is out today after years of delays.You can now be an artist or a farmer as well as a magician, carpenter, fisherman, alchemist or whatever else you fancy, and also it adds time travel into the mix. It’s an intriguing amalgamation of the Animal Crossing/Harvest Moon style of Japanese life simulator, and the Dragon Quest/Ni no Kuni flavour of unthreatening role-playing game, and I’m looking forward to exploring it. An especial shout-out to the members of one of my group chats who have been eagerly awaiting this for more than a decade.Available on: Switch/2, PS4/5, Xbox, PC Estimated playtime: skip past newsletter promotionSign up to Pushing ButtonsFree weekly newsletterKeza MacDonald's weekly look at the world of gamingPrivacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotionWhat to readBroom broom … the home delivery system in Crescent County. Illustration: Electric Saint A couple of interesting games hitting Kickstarter this week: Crescent County, a colourful witch-delivery game with broom-racing and plenty of small-town drama; and a ghost story set in Paisley just outside Glasgow, named after its Chinese takeaway Crystal Garden. If you have a few minutes, have a go at this satirical simulation text game You Are Generative AI, which casts you as an increasingly self-aware AI large language model answering random questions that people cannot be bothered to research or think through themselves. I got three different endings and one of them made me genuinely quite sad. Developers at Bungie, makers of Destiny and the forthcoming shooter Marathon, have been dealing with an alleged plagiarism scandal after unattributed designs from an artist called Antireal were found in promotional screenshots and art from Marathon. Bungie is blaming the mistake on a former employee. VG247 has a rundown. After half a decade, PlayStation 5 sales are neck and neck with PlayStation 4’s results at this point in its life cycle, at 78m – despite the fact that its price has actually increased, due to the wild times in which we live. Video Game Chronicle gets into the numbers. What to clickQuestion BlockWhat’s in a name? … playing a video game using Nintendo’s Wii U controller. Photograph: Jae C Hong/API’ve had several good suggestions for the name of reader Travis’s book-club style video game club: Select/Start (thanks Alex), Long Play (from Eva), and Doki Doki Videogame Club (niche reference there, Chris). Especial props to Kenny, however, who went hog wild and came up with several, including these three beauts: Go Forth and Multiplay, Concurrent Players and Let’s Console Each Other.Lucas also had a great suggestion for last week’s questioner: “Your bookclubber should look at itch.io for crazy little free games to play and discuss with their friends! The indie folks sharing their games there would probably love the attention/feedback of a games book club.” (You Are Generative AI, which I mentioned earlier, is on Itch, along with just hundreds of other shortform games worthy of discussion.)And we’ve just about got room for another (timely) question, this time from reader Ali:“I’ve always admired Nintendo for coming up with different names for each console, as opposed to Sony going for the sequential naming convention and Microsoft jumping from 360 to One to Series (?). My opinion has somewhat changed now that the successor to the Nintendo Switch is called Switch 2. Do you have any thoughts on console names?”It’s true that Nintendo usually goes for completely new names for each console, except arguably the series of Game Boys, the NES and Super NES, Wii and Wii U, and now Switch and Switch 2. And yes, this is the first time they’ve gone for a number. I’d say this is down to how badly the company did with the Wii U, whose confusing name surely contributed to how badly it flopped. But I think it reflects the more conservative and cautious mood of the games industry as a whole in 2025, as it comes to the end of decades’ worth of unsustainably rapid growth. Or maybe it’s because Nintendo’s president Shuntaro Furukawa used to be an accountant.If you’ve got a question for Question Block – or anything else to say about the newsletter – email us on pushingbuttons@theguardian.com

Deloitte UK is reducing some bonuses. Peter Dazeley via Getty Images 2025-05-21T16:42:47Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Staff in one of Deloitte's four UK divisions will get lower bonuses after missing profit targets. The firm will also promote fewer staff this year, according to an internal email seen by BI. The promotions move was demotivating and has "dampened" the office mood, a Deloitte employee said. Deloitte told employees in one of its UK consulting divisions to expect lower annual bonuses following weaker-than-expected financial performance.Richard Houston, a senior partner and chief executive of Deloitte UK, wrote in a companywide email on Tuesday that employees in the technology and transformation (T&T) consulting division would receive an average of 80% of their annual bonus.Partners in the division will also face a drop in annual rewards, Houston said in the memo seen by Business Insider.The news was first reported by The Financial Times.The T&T business had "faced a particularly challenging year and fell materially short of its performance goals," Houston wrote. Richard Houston is chief executive of Deloitte UK. Liam McBurney/PA/Getty Images Bonuses have always been linked to individual and firm performance. However, for the 2025 financial year, they will also take into account performance variations in each of Deloitte's four business lines.The shift means that workers in Deloitte's other three business lines — which cover deals, tax and legal, and audit and assurance services — will retain their full bonus.Those three divisions have either exceeded targets or, in the case of the audit and assurance branch, had still increased profits in the 2025 financial year, Houston wrote.Deloitte will also promote fewer employees than in previous years, Houston said.The firm would promote 5,500 employees, or about 25% of the UK workforce, at the start of the next financial year, he said. The previous year 28% were promoted, Houston said.A Deloitte consultant in the T&T division said the news about promotions was demotivating and had "dampened" the mood. The person added that their division had taken "a beating."It's "not the best feeling since T&T functions have historically pulled the firm forward in times of crisis," the employee added.Deloitte UK's total profits for its 2025 financial year, which ends on May 31, would be "slightly ahead of last year" but "below our original plan," Houston wrote."At the start of FY25, we expected greater economic stability and a gradual return of growth opportunities. But an early election, geopolitical complexity, and unexpected economic headwinds — like changes in trade policies — have continued to cause market uncertainty," he said.Deloitte's global revenue climbed 3.1% to $67.2 billion in the 2024 financial year, which marked a sharp slowdown in growth compared to the 14.9% increase in 2023.The firm's UK arm has reorganized its business divisions and laid off workers as it grappled with an industrywide slowdown in demand for consulting services that has hit revenue growth.Cost-cuttingIn October 2024, Deloitte UK cut its spending on staff travel and expenses by more than 50%.Houston addressed the cost-cutting measures in Tuesday's email, acknowledging "it has not been easy" for teams to be unable to meet in person for much of the year.He said the efforts to manage costs had "made a significant difference" and had directly contributed to bonuses for the 2025 financial year.A Deloitte UK spokesperson told BI: "Amid ongoing market uncertainty, we are pleased to be able to recognize our people for their hard work with salary increases, bonuses, and promotions this year. This is alongside other benefits such as fully funded private medical insurance, recently enhanced family policies, and our commitment to offering flexibility and choice in our ways of working."Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at pthompson@businessinsider.com or Signal at Polly_Thompson.89. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

Yes, Google’s roster of consumer-facing products is the slickest on offer. The firm is bundling most of its multimodal models into its Gemini app, including the new Imagen 4 image generator and the new Veo 3 video generator. That means you can now access Google’s full range of generative models via a single chatbot. It also announced Gemini Live, a feature that lets you share your phone’s screen or your camera’s view with the chatbot and ask it about what it can see. Those features were previously only seen in demos of Project Astra, a “universal AI assistant“ that Google DeepMind is working on. Now, Google is inching toward putting Project Astra into the hands of anyone with a smartphone. Google is also rolling out AI Mode, an LLM-powered front end to search. This can now pull in personal information from Gmail or Google Docs to tailor searches to users. It will include Deep Search, which can break a query down into hundreds of individual searches and then summarize the results; a version of Project Mariner, Google DeepMind’s browser-using agent; and Search Live, which lets you hold up your camera and ask it what it sees. This is the new frontier. It’s no longer about who has the most powerful models, but who can spin them into the best products. OpenAI’s ChatGPT includes many similar features to Gemini’s. But with its existing ecosystem of consumer services and billions of existing users, Google has a clear advantage. Power users wanting access to the latest versions of everything on display can now sign up for Google AI Ultra for $250 a month.   When OpenAI released ChatGPT in late 2022, Google was caught on the back foot and was forced to jump into higher gear to catch up. With this year’s product lineup, it looks as if Google has stuck its landing. On a preview call, CEO Sundar Pichai claimed that AI Overviews, a precursor to AI Mode that provides LLM-generated summaries of search results, had turned out to be popular with hundreds of millions of users. He speculated that many of them may not even know (or care) that they were using AI—it was just a cool new way to search. Google I/O gives a broader glimpse of that future, one where AI is invisible. “More intelligence is available, for everyone, everywhere,” Pichai told his audience. I think we are expected to marvel. But by putting AI in everything, Google is turning AI into a technology we won’t notice and may not even bother to name.

Sandeep Kashyap, CEO, ProofHubMay 21, 20254 Min ReadEugene Sergeev via Alamy StockIt’s normal to feel nervous when you have to make big decisions at work. After all, you never know how things will turn out. Fortunately, decision-making frameworks can help lessen those nerves and boost your confidence. They bring structure and clarity by bringing practical, proven methods that turn chaos into clarity.  For IT leaders, these frameworks support critical thinking, confident action, and smarter choices -- even under pressure. Most importantly, they help you cut through the noise and ensure every decision stays aligned with your long-term business goals. This blog post will walk you through the five frameworks for effective decision-making that can help IT leaders make more informed decisions. Each one is designed to help you simplify complexity and lead with greater impact.  Importance of Decision-Making FrameworksDecision-making frameworks bring consistency and logic to the decision-making process. They help you break things down and focus on the essentials. Here are the benefits of using these frameworks. Make your objectives clear: Structured decision-making frameworks help you cut through the noise and focus on what matters most, ensuring every decision aligns with your objectives.  Bring teams together: The frameworks allow you to involve the right people and ensure everyone is on the same page. Related:Avoid costly mistakes: IT decisions often involve significant investments, such as new software and infrastructure upgrades. The framework helps you assess potential risk upfront and make deliberate choices.  5 Decision-Making Frameworks Every Leader Should KnowA decision-making framework provides clarity and consistency to make better decisions. Here are five frameworks that can sharpen your thinking and strengthen your leadership. 1. RAPID (recommend, agree, perform, input, decide) RAPID is a decision-making framework that helps clarify who is responsible for what when multiple stakeholders are involved.  Each letter in RAPID represents a key role in the decision-making process:  Recommend: The person in this role leads the effort by gathering data, analyzing options, and proposing a well-informed recommendation. Agree: These stakeholders have to work closely with the recommender to shape the best possible decision.  Perform: This is the individual or team responsible for executing the decision once it's made. Input: These contributors offer valuable insights, expertise, or context that inform the recommendation.  Decide: The final authority that makes the call and commits the organization to move forward. This role carries accountability for the outcome. Related:2. SPADE (setting, people, alternatives, decide, explain) The SPADE framework breaks down each step of the structured decision-making process so that you can reach an informed and critical conclusion. It’s especially helpful when decisions involve multiple teams, limited time, and high visibility.  Each letter in SPADE represents a crucial phase in the decision-making process: Setting: Define the decision’s scope, goal, and constraints.  People: Identify and engage relevant stakeholders such as decision-makers, influencers, and executors. Alternatives: Generate options related to the decision based on criteria like cost, security, and scalability.  Decide: Evaluate all options and select the best course of action. You can avoid negative consequences and bias through objective methods like private voting. Explain: Clearly document and explain the rationale behind a decision to ensure alignment across teams and maintain accountability for outcomes. 3. OODA loop (observe, orient, decide, act) The OODA loop is a four-step approach to decision-making that focuses on filtering available information, putting it in context, and quickly making the most appropriate decision.  Related:The word OODA stands for:  Observe: Monitor system performance, team dynamics, and industry trends to gather relevant and timely data. Orient: Analyze the information you have collected to understand the context, challenges, and opportunities. Decide: Based on your analysis, choose the most effective course of action. Act: Implement the decision quickly and efficiently. Once action is taken, the loop restarts—each decision and outcome creates new conditions to observe and evaluate. 4. Eisenhower MatrixThe Eisenhower Matrix is a task prioritization technique that helps make decisions related to tasks. It helps you organize tasks into four quadrants, based on the urgency and importance, and suggests appropriate action for tasks in each quadrant. It ensures that essential tasks are completed first, contributing to the success of projects and goals.  Here is what the Eisenhower matrix includes:  QuadrantDescription Action DoImportant and urgent Handle these immediately ScheduleImportant but not urgent Schedule these for later DelegateUrgent but not important Assign these to others if possible DeleteNeither urgent nor important Consider removing these altogether 5. Decision TreeA decision tree is a graphical representation that helps IT leaders map out the possible outcomes of different decisions. It helps leaders assess risks, rewards, and the potential consequences of each choice before committing to a path. Decision trees are most useful in complex decision-making processes where multiple scenarios are involved. ConclusionIT leaders deal with tough decisions every day. Which project should be prioritized? Should we adopt new tools or improve the existing ones? Who should get what tasks? To handle these challenges, leaders can use frameworks for effective decision-making like RAPID, SPADE, OODA, Eisenhower Matrix, and decision trees. These tools help bring structure and clarity to tough decisions, making it easier to move forward with confidence in a fast-changing business world. About the AuthorSandeep KashyapCEO, ProofHubSandeep Kashyap, the visionary CEO of ProofHub, boasts over 25 years of IT industry experience. He's a recognized luminary known for innovation and agility. His contributions extend to project management insights and leadership, growth and entrepreneurship. His practical expertise is evident in ProofHub's success. Recognized as Top Leadership Voice on Linkedin, Sandeep’s contributions provide invaluable insight for leaders and professionals seeking to create thriving workplaces.See more from Sandeep KashyapWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like