Key Takeaways France is the first country to have endorsed the UN Open Source Principles, which now takes the total endorsements to 36. The French government recently released La Suite numérique, which is an open-source collection of collaboration tools for French government officials. French AI startup Mistral AI is also developing open-source AI models that can beat DeepSeek. France has become the first country to endorse the UN Open Source Principles  – an initiative adopted by the UN Chief Executive Board’s Digital Technology Network (DTN) to support the development of open-source technology within the UN. In addition to France, the UN Open Source Principles added 19 more endorsers to its list, taking the total to 36. The initiative has laid down eight principles for the development of open-source projects. This includes making open source the default approach for project development. Moreover, there’s also a focus on building interoperable projects to boost reusability and enable diverse and inclusive contributions. The biggest benefit of going open source is transparency. The code for any program will be accessible to the public, ensuring anyone can inspect and improve it. It also establishes trust between the developers and users.  For instance, if you’re using an open-source health tracking app, you can view the exact details it collects, including personal information. This ensures there are no back doors and users are not left in the dark.  It’s worth noting that the European Commission has also published an Open Source Software Strategy 2020-2023 to encourage and leverage open source collaboration. Like the UN, the EC, too, focused on sharing and reusing software tech along with spreading low-cost benefits to society. French Government Supporting Open Source The French government has developed the La Suite numérique – an open-source digital collaboration platform offering tools that can replace the likes of Microsoft 365 in corporate settings.  For instance, its Visio tool can be used for video conferencing. It doesn’t impose any time restrictions on meetings, irrespective of the group size – a perfect alternative to MS Teams. Alternatively, you can use the instant messaging app Tchap, which offers a single communication channel for your entire team. Install the Docs app from La Suite numérique if you want to work with documents. This one comes with features like media imports and offline mode. Moreover, several users can work simultaneously, meaning real-time collaboration is as simple as any mainstream docs app.  La Suite numérique also has a cloud storage app called Drive, a webmail service called Messagerie, and a secure file transfer service called France Transfert. Several other tools are also under development. Currently, La Suite numérique is only available to the French public administration and for official government use. However, it’s important to ponder the kind of affordability benefits tools like this can bring. Businesses can end up saving the cost of licensing each individual app for hundreds of thousands of devices. France’s Open Source AI Another open-source initiative from France is Mistral AI. This AI startup is working on open-source AI models that are powerful enough to outperform DeepSeek. CEO Arthur Mensch said that the company’s core focus is on open-source technology, which can help companies ‘build on top of one another.’ This is an entirely different approach to OpenAI. Despite being named after open source technology, the Altman-driven company has kept its advanced models, such as ChatGPT, GPT-4, and DALL-E, as closed source projects. Imagine open-source technology as the peak form of community building. So, if someone wants to build something similar to or better than Mistral AI, they can view and take inspiration from its code, which can give them a head start and help them build something better. However, if you want to build something like ChatGPT, you’ll have no resources and will need to start from scratch. This is precisely what the United Nations wants to change, and open-source technology aligns well with its objectives of transparency and inclusion. Open-source projects allow smaller players who do not have access to endless resources to contribute to the overall development of critical AI projects. The French government seems to have caught the cue. With in-house open-source tech development, open-source AI startups, and endorsement of the UN Open Source Principles, France now stands at the forefront of the open-source movement. Anything Can Be Open Source It’s worth noting that open-source technology isn’t just limited to AI or a select few industries. Any service offered on the internet can go open source, which is evident by the kind of support the UN open source principles have received. For example, one of the endorsees is F-Droid, which is an open-source alternative to the Google Play Store. Every app listed on F-Droid is open source and completely free. Plus, it doesn’t use any hidden analytics or ads to gather user data, making it a much safer and more transparent app marketplace than what we commonly use. Image Credit – Caschys Blog The WordPress Foundation has also supported the initiative. It aims to build a stable content management system (CMS) for web publishing. The Apereo Foundation, a nonprofit built with the aim of helping open-source advancements in higher education, has also endorsed the UN Open Source Principles. Currently, Apereo has over 25 open-source projects focused on privacy and decentralization. As you can see, businesses in different sectors have come up to support the open-source initiative of the United Nations. However, open-source technology’s biggest ‘flaw’ is its anti-capitalistic nature. This simply means that for-profit organizations would not actively support the development of open-source tech. The reason is pretty apparent: why would you reveal the secret ingredient of your best-selling dish? Open source lowers costs and entry barriers in any industry, which are the two things capitalism survives on. So, as unfortunate as it is, we might never see a fully open-source approach from tech giants like Google, Microsoft, or OpenAI. However, with the development of open-source projects supported by various governments, the user base might gradually shift from traditional tech producers. That said, there’s still a long way to go before open-source products become mainstream. Krishi is a seasoned tech journalist with over four years of experience writing about PC hardware, consumer technology, and artificial intelligence.  Clarity and accessibility are at the core of Krishi’s writing style. He believes technology writing should empower readers—not confuse them—and he’s committed to ensuring his content is always easy to understand without sacrificing accuracy or depth. Over the years, Krishi has contributed to some of the most reputable names in the industry, including Techopedia, TechRadar, and Tom’s Guide. A man of many talents, Krishi has also proven his mettle as a crypto writer, tackling complex topics with both ease and zeal. His work spans various formats—from in-depth explainers and news coverage to feature pieces and buying guides.  Behind the scenes, Krishi operates from a dual-monitor setup (including a 29-inch LG UltraWide) that’s always buzzing with news feeds, technical documentation, and research notes, as well as the occasional gaming sessions that keep him fresh.  Krishi thrives on staying current, always ready to dive into the latest announcements, industry shifts, and their far-reaching impacts.  When he's not deep into research on the latest PC hardware news, Krishi would love to chat with you about day trading and the financial markets—oh! And cricket, as well. View all articles by Krishi Chowdhary Our editorial process The Tech Report editorial policy is centered on providing helpful, accurate content that offers real value to our readers. We only work with experienced writers who have specific knowledge in the topics they cover, including latest developments in technology, online privacy, cryptocurrencies, software, and more. Our editorial policy ensures that each topic is researched and curated by our in-house editors. We maintain rigorous journalistic standards, and every article is 100% written by real authors.

[Publishing Platform Div.] Software Engineer, Data Engineering (7년 이상)KraftonSeoul2 hours agoApply크래프톤은 차별화된 크리에이티브를 가진 글로벌 제작 스튜디오들과 고유한 즐거움이 있는 게임을 발굴하여 전 세계에 퍼블리싱합니다.우리는 지속적인 도전과 새로운 기술로 게임의 즐거움을 혁신하고, 더 많은 팬들에게 사랑받을 수 있도록 플랫폼과 서비스를 확장합니다.우리는 열정과 의지를 지닌 동료들과 함께 성장하며, 글로벌 시장에서 인정받는 게임의 명가로 나아가고 있습니다.KRAFTON is dedicated to identifying and publishing games worldwide that offer a uniquely enjoyable experience, crafted by our globally recognized production studios known for their distinctive creativity.We continuously push the boundaries of gaming enjoyment by embracing new challenges and technologies, expanding our platforms and services to captivate an even larger fan base.In collaboration with our passionate and driven team, we strive to establish ourselves as a renowned creator of masterpieces in the global gaming market.우리 팀(프로젝트)을 소개합니다.The Data Intelligence Team builds scalable and reliable data systems that collect, process, and serve data across the KRAFTON Publishing Platform. We enable data-driven features such as recommendations, dashboards, and segmentation at the intersection of game and platform services, enhancing both the quality and operational efficiency of publishing platform services.We are looking for someone who can design and operate complex real-time and batch data pipelines with scalability in mind, and collaborate with analysts and engineers to deliver tangible impact to the publishing platform.우리 팀과 함께할 미션을 소개합니다.Design and optimize data platform architecture to reliably collect, process, and serve data across the Publishing Platform.Develop and operate backend systems that support various service needs in both real-time and batch environments, with scalability and reliability in mind.Design and optimize ingestion pipelines for collecting and processing data from external sources such as community platforms, social media, and 3rd party APIs.Build flexible and reliable data workflows in a Databricks.Collaborate with analysts and software engineers to deliver real-time and non-real-time data required for insights and feature development in the Publishing Platform.Design and improve data models, storage structures, and serving systems.Continuously improve data engineering processes and contribute to establishing technical standards and best practices within the team.Maintain and operate CI/CD pipelines and documentation이런 경험을 가진 분과 함께 성장하고 싶습니다! (필수요건)Qualifications4+ years of experience designing and developing production-level backend services in a cloud environment.4+ years of hands-on experience with Python (or a similar scripting language).4+ years of experience with Apache Spark.Experience building real-time or near-real-time data pipelines.Deep understanding of modern data stack and cloud-based architectures.Bilingual in English & Korean.SkillsStrong debugging, testing, and problem-solving skills with a logical and proactive mindset.Effective communication skills and ability to collaborate across diverse teams.Ability to define priorities and manage multiple projects simultaneously when needed.Critical thinking and a solution-oriented approach to complex problems.Passion for learning and adopting new technologies.이런 경험들이 있다면 저희가 찾는 그 분입니다! (우대요건)Experience with data platforms such as Databricks or Snowflake.Experience building and optimizing user-facing services in Kubernetes-based environments.Hands-on experience collecting and processing large-scale data from social media, community platforms, and 3rd party sources.Experience designing and managing terabyte or petabyte scale data warehouses.크래프톤의 도전에 함께 하기 위해 아래의 전형 과정이 필요합니다.서류 전형 > *과제 전형 > 실무 면접 (Technical Fit Interview) > 최종 면접 (Culture Fit Interview) > 합격 및 입사*해당 절차는 각 포지션 및 후보자에 따라 변동이 있을 수 있습니다.상시 채용으로 채용 완료 시 조기 마감될 수 있습니다.필요 시, 인터뷰 및 직무 테스트가 추가될 수 있습니다.전형 일정 및 합격 또는 불합격 결과는 지원서에 등록하신 이메일 또는 유선으로 개별 안내 드립니다.필요 서류를 확인해주세요!입사지원서 (자유 양식), 자기소개서, 경력기술서, 포트폴리오(선택)신입일 경우 자기소개서를, 경력일 경우 경력기술서를 중심으로 기술해 주시기 바랍니다.포트폴리오 첨부 시, 하단 안내 사항을 확인해 주시기 바랍니다.근무지역삼 센터필드고용형태정규직아래 안내 사항을 확인해주세요!장애인 및 국가 유공자 등 취업 보호 대상자는 관계 법령에 따라 우대합니다.지원서 내용 중 허위사실이 있는 경우에는 합격이 취소될 수 있습니다.채용 전형 중 궁금하신 사항은 크래프톤 채용 FAQ 내에서 확인하실 수 있습니다.BE BOLD, LEARN AND WIN! 크래프톤의 성장과 도전의 스토리를 알아가고 싶다면?Please check the information belowThose eligible for an affirmative action program such as individuals with disabilities or with distinguished service to the state will be given hiring preference according to relevant lawsFalse statements in your resume may lead to the withdrawal of the employment offerPlease contact career@krafton.com for other inquiriesBE BOLD, LEARN AND WIN! Would you like to explore KRAFTON’s growth and adventure stories? Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings. Apply

AI is transforming industries worldwide, and its growing impact on digital finance is becoming significant. One of the most intriguing applications of AI lies in the analysis and forecasting of the Bitcoin price in USD – a notoriously volatile metric that traditional financial models struggle to predict. Today, AI is helping decode cryptocurrency’s complexities with speed and precision.From deep learning networks and sentiment analysis to real-time anomaly detection, AI technologies are shaping how investors, institutions and platforms understand and respond to Bitcoin’s dynamic movements.Predicting Bitcoin with deep learningBitcoin has evolved into a global platform operating through numerous nodes around the world. Each node creates further data, like trading volume, volatility and price changes, alongside other trade-related documentation. All this serves as the basis for training deep learning frameworks.Forecasting Bitcoin prices using recurrent neural networks (RNNs) is particularly effective due to the use of Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks. LSTMs excel at capturing long-term dependencies in time series data, making them ideal for handling the complex and dynamic nature of Bitcoin’s real-time price movements. The ability to remember and learn from previously observed patterns allows LSTMs to model the statistical behaviour of Bitcoin prices over time.A recently published study in Forecasting (2024) proposed a hybrid model for predicting Bitcoin prices by incorporating LSTM with attention mechanisms and gradient-specific optimisation. The study boasts an impressive accuracy of 99.84%. Advanced deep learning strategies in financial forecasting, as this study suggests, are superior to those found in traditional models.Using NLP to decode market emotionsNatural Language Processing (NLP) tools help cryptocurrency investors analyse real-time, unstructured data to understand market sentiment and investor behaviour.In 2023, a study posted in arXiv introduced an end-to-end model for forecasting sentiment of tweets together with price prediction. The model employs a BERT-based neural network for sentiment analysis and a GRU for price forecasting. The study claims that by integrating sentiment analysis and deep learning, the cryptocurrency market can be predicted with greater accuracy. The mean absolute percentage error of 3.6% shows the potential in the synergy of both domains.Spotting market anomalies with unsupervised AIUnsupervised learning techniques, like clustering algorithms and autoencoders, are particularly effective at anomaly detection in the cryptocurrency space. Especially in tumultuous markets like Bitcoin, where discerning unpredictable patterns is key, such tools excel at detecting unexpected patterns.Models can flag possible scenarios of flash crashes, price manipulations and other sophisticated activities on the exchange by monitoring real-time market data against historical market data. For instance, if Bitcoin’s price in USD drops sharply while asset dependencies remain constant, AI can detect the outlier and notify human traders or activate protective protocols.Mining blockchain data for AI insightsActive addresses provide one of the most significant advantages of Bitcoin – the transparency of its blockchain. On-chain data enables real-time monitoring of network activity and participant behaviour, like the number of active addresses, hash rate, wallet distributions, and transaction volumes.AI models can analyse such data to identify large-scale trends. For instance, in the previous bull runs, a surge in wallets containing 1-10 BTC (commonly associated with retail investors) was observed. Relatively, declines in miner flows to exchanges can predict supply restrictions.Reinforcement learning models are being taught to predict the impact of on-chain movements on Bitcoin’s market value. A hybrid of blockchain analytics and machine learning is redefining how analysts build predictive models based on clear, accessible public data.The new AI bots break down market bordersArtificial intelligence has increased its foothold in cryptocurrency markets through autonomous trading systems. Unlike older trading bots that had a set checklist to complete, modern bots are highly sophisticated and employ flexible plans based on real-time data.Modern AI bots don’t just follow trends; they consider various factors influencing market prices. AI bots shift from trend-following to mean reversion and take into account price shifts and technical indicators. Some bots can simulate market conditions each second to determine statistically-reasonable points for investment.Ethical and technical problems surrounding AI application on cryptocurrencyImplementing AI in cryptocurrency trading can be risky, although rewarding. Assurance over-fitting remains an issue, as builds driven by historical data are less reliable with remaining black swans or unexpected changes in regulations.Coordinated bot networks pose significant risks to trading volume and market sentiment. For this reason, many platforms have focused on publishing algorithmic audit trading reports for transparency and establishing ethics teams to mitigate any misuse of AI technologies.Explanatory frameworks of AI models, like model transparency and accountability, are particularly important in applications related to finances because of the enormous risks involved and the fragile trust of users.April 2025 updates: Bitcoin and AI integrationIn April 2025, Glassnode reported that addresses holding between 1,000 and 10,000 Bitcoin surged to 2,014, up from 1,944 in early March. The increase in this number of “whales” has been accumulating since April 2024, suggesting that there is confidence returning from major holders.Brief reflection: Bitcoin assessments enter the AI eraAnalysing and predicting the dynamics of Bitcoin and its price in USD through artificial intelligence is a trend that is here for the long run. It will be an essential part of strategy when dealing in cryptocurrency markets. AI provides unprecedented opportunities in financial market analysis through neural networks, mining on the blockchain, business behavioural prediction and creation of risk models.For AI specialists, this might represent the only practical example of having a blend of ultra-high-frequency data, actual working scenarios and comprehensive public systems that encourage collaboration. For the rest of us, we are shown a reality of being surrounded by systems that optimise buying and selling at lightning speeds.(Image source: Unsplash)

Animtoolbox Documentation and updates By Tal Hershkovich on May 19, 2025 Add-ons Animtoolbox is an addon with a set of tools and workflows for animation such as Temp Controls, Editable motion path, Retime markers, Copy Paste Matrices and more.A modular rigging system designed for animators, Temp Controls allows you to create different chain setups and link or unlink them together. The animation is always baked back into the Temp Controls and eventually into the original rig or armature—with or without SmartBake. Each control can also have an extra child bone for extra control, or Root when using a different space then world space. Since each chain has Setup ID and Org ID properties, It is possible to clean or bake all or only selected chains. Animtoolbox has been updated to version 0.0.7.1 and is available from Super Hive. A support channel is available on Discord. A complete new documentation (with ongoing updates) is available here. I’m currently still adding more tips and examples. Here are already some of themAnimToolbox features three categories: Temp Controls, Anim Tools, and Display Tools. For an overview of some of the tools, check out this video: World Space Ctrls - Typically used for space switching and other animation techniques. There are two types of world space controls. Copy Transform - is the standard basic control copying all the transformations, Track Target - Creates target ctrls in world space. With Axis, Offset and now also Twist options. Twist is controlled using the Temp Control rotation on the twist axis. Temp IK - Create a quick temporary IK from the selected FK controls. It’s now possible to give an offset to the pole target ctrl. Temp FK - Create FK chain based on a selection order. When selecting in a reversed order, the option to flip the bones will be turned on automatically. Link Temp Chains - Link or unlink Chains, It’s possible to link to the tip (the last child) or base of a chain (The parent). This Tutorial goes over the different controls and how to link them in more detail. It shows two different setups used to edit the legs of a motion capture. World Space Empties - is similar to world space controls but it is baked into empties instead of a control rig. Bake temp ctrls - bakes to the original rig. can now use different frame ranges Scene range, custom range and keyframe range which also works with smartbake. It is also possible to include all layers in the smart bake. This is especially useful when baking into a new animation layer.Animtools that were recently added or updated: Relative Cursor / Temp pivot - Using the cursor as a pivot point, the pivot will move with the selection, each selection will have it’s own stored pivot. Markers Retimer - used for retiming using Blender’s markers. It is now working also with multiple objects, bones and layers/nla strips. Copy / Paste Relative Matrix works also between objects and bones, you can use it instead of dealing with constraints, to attach an object at specific frames. And more tools such as interactive keyframes offset based on selection order, Share keyframes, blending / sliders, Convert Rotations (including rotation order recommendation), and attribute filters for all the tools.Display Use hotkey alt + or - to change gizmo size. Isolate Pose Mode - Will isolate an armature from other armatures when going into pose mode. Useful when working with a lot of armatures in a scene. Animated Collections - Can make all the collections that have animated bones in them visible, pressing it again will return to the previous visibility status. Editable motion path is using different hotkeys, some are available only when hovering over the keyframes or path. Available hotkeys: Shift to add or remove from selection. Ctrl + Left Mouse Click - Add or remove keyframes. When a keyframe turns blue, it means it will be removed once the mouse is clicked. G or Left mouse click for grabbing and moving. R rotating the selection. S scaling the selected keyframes. XYZ are available for locking specific axes. Numpad . for zooming, available only while hovering on a selected keyframe. V - to change handle types, like in the graph editor but directly in the viewport Ctrl + T - Change interpolation, similar to hotkey T in the graph editor / dopesheet.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 writer Jennifer Svedberg-Yen would be the first to tell you: writing a video game is work. At least writing a novel is a one-person operation for most of the time. At least a screenplay for a film only needs to come in around 120 pages, unless you’re working for Martin Scorsese. But writing a video game? That means filling hours of space, bending the material to fit the play, and usually working with a team of other writers to make it all cohere. Sometimes to hit a deadline, you just need to throw words at the wall. Especially when it’s 3 a.m. That can still result in brilliance. All the Frenchy bits and bobs in Clair Obscur have captured the imaginations of players, but few quite like the character of Esquie, and especially one camp conversation in which the oversized gestral reflects on his friend François with Verso. Verso knows François to be a grump, but Esquie insists that “Franfran used to be all ‘Wheeee!’ But now he’s all ‘Whooo.’” Over about a minute, Esquie further defines “whee” and “woo” while players even choose their own whee/woo path through the dialogue tree. It is tremendously silly. “That was me at three in the morning trying to come up with something,” Svedberg-Yen admits with a laugh. “I needed to write seven relationship dialogues for Esquie!” Svedberg-Yen says the script for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 comes in around 800 pages long, which doesn’t even include all of the NPC dialogue or the piles of lore-related documentation written as foundation for the story. To fill that much space, the writer says she grabbed inspiration from everything and everywhere around her. For instance, Svedberg-Yen says Monoco, the floating gestral who later joins the Expedition 33 crew, is based on her dog, and when her pup needed a haircut, she decided to write that into the story.  “I was like, OK, that’s going to be the conversation for Monoco and Verso about haircuts. He says, ‘you look like an overgrown mop.’ I literally said that to my dog — and I could use that.” The “whee whoo” sequence made even less sense in the wee hours of the morning, but it felt right.  “I knew what I wanted to say, where it’s talking about something heavy and sad and how you can feel the joy and the grief,” Svedberg-Yen says. “And I was so tired. I didn’t have any words. So I was just like, ‘wheeeeee!’” As a fantasy writer, Svedberg-Yen says her number one goal is authenticity, sculpting characters who are born from real places and real circumstances, even if they’re otherworldly. So she doesn’t often question her instincts – even the kooky ones. There was room for moments of levity in the otherwise tragic Clair Obscur because, hey, that’s life. “Did I push it too far at all? Sometimes, when I’m at a loss for words, I’m like, what am I feeling right now? And then I put that into the script. That’s authentic because it is what I am feeling.”

Games today are bigger than ever. As they continue to explore the limits of modern device hardware, it becomes increasingly critical for developers to manage content efficiently at runtime. And, as publishers look to optimize their games’ retention and monetization metrics, a small game client and dynamic over-the-air content updates have become baseline requirements for many successful games.Unity provides an end-to-end pipeline to help developers and publishers succeed in today’s gaming marketplace. That pipeline starts and ends with Addressables, a Unity package that launched in 2019 and now powers thousands of successful live games and tens of thousands more in development.The Addressables package provides a user interface (UI) and API for organizing Unity assets to be built into AssetBundles and loaded and unloaded dynamically at runtime. Whether AssetBundles are shipped with your base game or hosted and delivered from a remote content delivery network (CDN) like Cloud Content Delivery, Addressables helps you load the assets you need, only when you need them.While the Addressables system can simplify many aspects of content management, it’s not a “set it and forget it” feature. The choices you make about how to organize, build, load, and unload addressable assets have significant implications for your game’s size and performance.This guide explores some of the most important factors to consider so that you can get the most out of the Addressables system. At the end of this blog, you’ll find helpful “cheat sheets” that provide general settings and strategy recommendations based on common Addressables use cases.Of course, the best strategy will depend on the game you’re building and your goals. Treat this guide as a reference to be used together with Unity Learn materials, Unity Manual documentation, and the community-driven forum for Addressables.At its core, Addressables is a tool for building and working with AssetBundles. Before diving into the Addressables UI and API, it’s important to get familiar with the AssetBundles archive file format and some of the runtime implications.You can think of AssetBundles as containers – they are archive files built for your target platforms that can contain assets like models, textures, prefabs, ScriptableObjects, audio clips, and even entire scenes that Unity can load at runtime.A key feature of AssetBundles is that they can express dependencies between one another. For example, AssetBundle 1 might contain a prefab that depends on a texture in AssetBundle 2. When you use Addressables to load the prefab at runtime, the Addressables system will automatically load AssetBundle 2 and the dependent texture into memory. And, if AssetBundle 1 has another asset that depends on an asset in AssetBundle 3, AssetBundle 3 will also be loaded into memory, and so on.When your game is running, the Addressables system tracks active references for all assets – including dependent assets like the texture discussed above – to determine which ones need to be in memory. An asset loaded from an AssetBundle cannot be released from memory until both its reference count and all other asset reference counts in the same AssetBundle are at 0. The AssetBundle itself can be released from memory only when all asset reference counts in the AssetBundle are at 0.Keeping in mind this tight relationship between Addressables and AssetBundles, the most important rule when organizing your Addressables content is to create AssetBundles that contain discrete sets of assets that you expect to be loaded and unloaded together.The most important decision you’ll likely make while using Addressables is how to organize your assets into Addressables groups. Here are a few questions to consider:Should you create many small groups or a smaller number of large groups?For each group, how many AssetBundles should you aim to generate (i.e., should you pack the assets in that group together, separately, or by label)?Should you use labels?Should you give your groups local or remote load paths?While we would love to give a single answer, the best Addressables grouping strategy will depend on several factors that are specific to your game.Remember: Addressables groups provide the organizational structure for your addressable assets that determines how those assets will be built into AssetBundles. So the best organizational strategy will be the one that packs, loads, and unloads your AssetBundles most effectively based on your game’s unique structure, goals, and limitations.Before you start organizing your Addressables content, make sure you have a solid grasp on the following:1. Your game’s structure and roadmap2. Your game’s platform strengths and limitations3. Your primary goal(s) in using Addressables to optimize your game’s performanceWe’ll tackle each of these factors below.The first factor to consider is your game’s structure and roadmap.By “structure,” we mean the actual architecture of your game. Is your game a linear, single-player journey where the player will progress through a predictable set of levels or environments? Is it a multiplatform PvP game with thousands of vanity items that could be instantiated at unpredictable times? Your game’s structure will determine when you will need to have assets loaded and ready to use, and when you’ll be able to unload assets and AssetBundles from memory.Remember, try to create AssetBundles that contain only the assets that need to be loaded together and can be unloaded together. If your game is a linear journey with distinct break points, consider organizing Addressables groups into larger subsets of content associated with each section of your game. That way, those assets can be loaded and unloaded together.If your game is non-linear and more unpredictable, opt for smaller groups that will generate smaller AssetBundles, allowing you to load and unload more dynamically. Always aim to use logical and meaningful names for your groups to help you quickly locate assets and optimize your layout.“Roadmap” refers to how your game will evolve over time. Once your game ships to players, will it remain mostly unchanged aside from occasional bug fixes or game balance patches? Or do you expect to add new content on a regular basis without requiring your players to install a large client update?Your content roadmap helps inform your grouping strategy. If your game’s content will be self-contained and not updated after launch, focus your grouping strategy around the structural considerations discussed above. If your game will require frequent content updates, group your content in a way that will allow players to download exactly what they need, when they need it.Consider using labels to help identify content from distinct bundles that will be needed together at runtime, such as a set of cosmetic items that will grow over time as your game matures. You can also use the “Pack Together By Label” Bundle Mode in your Groups Settings to subdivide content you’ve logically grouped together.For example, perhaps you plan to launch a new “Halloween 2023” event with some cosmetic items for players to collect. Your “Halloween 2023 Outfits” group might contain assets with the labels “Hats,” “Shoes,” and “Masks.” You could then add a “Halloween 2023” label to all the assets in this group. Using the “Pack Together By Label” Bundle Mode for this group will create three AssetBundles at build time.At runtime, you could then load all addressable assets with the Label “Hats” in your character customization screen to ensure all assets with that label are downloaded, loaded into memory, and ready for players to view. Or you could load all addressable assets with the label “Halloween 2023” on your promotional page for your event, ensuring they are ready to be displayed to your players.Having a deep understanding of your game’s structure and roadmap will help you make informed decisions about your content organization that will be beneficial throughout your game’s lifecycle.Next, we’ll tackle your platforms’ specific strengths and limitations and what they mean for your content strategy.The next factor to consider is the strengths and limitations of the platforms you’re targeting for distribution. In this section, we’ve outlined common platform targets for Addressables users, as well as some key considerations for each.Mobile and VRFor mobile and VR platforms, the most important considerations to keep in mind are app size, bundled content size, and download speeds.For your groups, consider the sets of content that your players will need immediately after install (e.g., to be able to complete your tutorial). Ensure this content is organized into groups with local load paths so that it will be included with your base game. Organize all other content into groups with remote load paths so that you can deliver this content over the air to your players.Opt for a group strategy that will build relatively small AssetBundles. The exact balance will depend on your game. Avoid extremely large bundles that will consume a substantial amount of memory and will be difficult to release once loaded. Similarly, avoid a huge number of tiny bundles that may create a very large Addressables catalog file that will be downloaded for every content update. Many tiny bundles can also have an impact on the speed at which your players can download the content they need, so be mindful of these pros and cons when determining the right balance for your game.Desktop and ConsolesFor desktop and consoles, the most important consideration is performance. Compared to mobile devices and wireless VR hardware, desktop and console hardware typically has fewer constraints around memory and disk storage. With this in mind, consider a group setting that will build uncompressed AssetBundles. This will provide the fastest possible loading time and can even provide for efficient patching on certain platforms.When developing for consoles specifically, pay close attention to any platform-specific caching restrictions that may apply. While mobile platforms allow you to take advantage of Unity’s AssetBundle Cache for downloaded content, this functionality is disabled by default at the Unity engine level for certain consoles and WebGL. Consider updating your base game with the new content on those platforms rather than attempting to deliver remote content over the air. Otherwise, you will need to create your own custom AssetBundle caching system and determine whether your solution complies with those platforms’ terms of service.After evaluating the strengths and limitations of your target platforms, identify one or two primary goals you’re trying to achieve by using the Addressables system. For example: Are you mainly aiming to reduce your base game’s size, or are you planning to deliver over-the-air content updates to players? To demonstrate, let’s discuss these options, and more, in detail below.Minimizing base game sizeIf your primary goal is to minimize your base game’s size, and you aren’t as concerned about memory limitations or large downloads after install, then your primary focus should be migrating as many assets as possible from scenes and Resources into one or more Addressables groups with remote load paths.Consider making the scenes in your project addressable and determine which, if any, must be included with the main player build. For those that can be delivered to players after install, include those scenes in groups with remote load paths. You can even build a player with one almost-empty scene, and load the rest of your game dynamically from there, as explained in this Open Projects Devlog video.If you make any scenes addressable, it’s best to make all of them addressable to reduce the chance and volume of unnecessary asset duplication.For groups that will generate AssetBundles to be hosted remotely, be sure to enable the AssetBundle Cache. This setting will ensure that downloaded AssetBundles will be cached on your players’ devices, preventing them from having to redownload each session.While it’s always good to keep in mind the runtime implications of many small bundles versus few large bundles, these considerations become more relevant when considering other goals you may have.Efficiently delivering remote content to playersIf your primary goal is the efficient delivery of remote content, your group structure should reflect how you aim to split content between “local” (i.e., assets included with your player build) and “remote” content (i.e., assets hosted on an external content delivery network). Again, be sure to enable the AssetBundle Cache to cache downloaded content on players’ devices.The size, number, and Bundle Mode of these groups will depend on when you expect to deliver remote content to your players and how long you’re willing to let them wait for downloads to complete. For example, if your game’s structure will allow for delivery of all remote content shortly after they install the base game, you can opt for larger groups with Pack Together or Pack Together By Label, which will result in a small number of large downloads.If you expect to deliver smaller sets of remote content to players throughout their sessions that will be less disruptive to the experience, you can opt for smaller groups and/or a Bundle Mode setting that will generate smaller AssetBundles that will download much more quickly.In most cases, for groups containing remote content, consider Enabled, Excluding Cached for your AssetBundle Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) option. This will provide additional assurances of your remote content’s integrity as it’s being cached to players’ devices, while avoiding the additional overhead of performing a CRC for loading content that’s already on player devices.Optimizing runtime memory usage and performanceIf your primary goal is optimizing the game’s runtime performance and memory usage, remember the most important rule of Addressables groups organization: Assets that you plan to load and unload at the same time should be grouped together.Generally speaking, this will mean creating smaller AssetBundles. You can achieve this in several ways, including creating smaller groups and/or avoiding the “Pack Together” Bundle Mode in your Group Settings for large groups that contain assets that won’t always be needed at the same time in your game.You should also keep an eye on runtime performance to help you spot potential issues or areas of optimization. Take advantage of official Unity tools like the Unity Profiler, the Memory Profiler package, or the Addressables Event Viewer, which can all help optimize your game’s performance.Be on the lookout for the upcoming Addressables Profiler Module, which will replace the Addressables Event Viewer. This new tool will provide even more in-depth information about how your code is loading and unloading addressable assets and AssetBundles, including detailed information about dependencies among your assets and AssetBundles.Multiple goalsOf course, most projects will have a number of goals associated with Addressables. In this case, there is truly no one-size-fits-all approach. You will need to evaluate the tradeoffs outlined above and find the group structure and settings that will best achieve the success you’ve defined.We recommend that you take advantage of the Addressables Build Report and the Addressables Profiler Module, available soon in Addressables 1.21.3. The Addressables Build Report will provide you with detailed information about the AssetBundles that were generated from your Addressables builds, including file size, potential duplicates, and in-depth dependency information. The Addressables Profiler Module is a new runtime analysis tool that takes advantage of this new dependency data, providing precise information about what was loaded by your Addressables code and why it was loaded.Below we’ve provided some handy “cheat sheets” for our recommended Addressables settings and strategies based on some of the most common use cases. Of course, these are just suggestions – it’s up to you to determine whether a suggestion aligns with your project’s unique structure and your specific goals.A mobile game with frequent content updatesA standalone, self-contained desktop or console gameA VR game built for Meta Quest 2If you have questions or want to learn more about the Addressables package, visit us in the Addressables forum. You can also connect with me directly on Twitter at @Unity_Jeff. Be sure to watch for new technical blogs from other Unity developers as part of the ongoing Tech from the Trenches series.

Expert Head Artist - Sledgehammer Games - Toronto, ONActivisionToronto Ontario M5E 1G6 Canada5 minutes agoApplyJob Title:Expert Head Artist - Sledgehammer Games - Toronto, ONRequisition ID:R024569Job Description:Your MissionAs Expert Head Artist at Sledgehammer Games, you will oversee the creation of character portraits, hair authoring, blend shape capture as well as helping with facial rig development and performance.You are an expert communicator, collaborator, and ambassador for the team. You will collaborate with Tech Art, Tech Anim, Leads and Directors to create photo real portraits that adhere to quality standards and tone of Call of Duty franchise. Aiming for the utmost realism in execution while maintaining PBR standards and working within technical guidelines.You understand the head creation, both from scan and from scratch. You can mentor your team, proactively find solutions, and deliver significant feedback to both internal and external developers with confidence.This is an onsite position at our office in Toronto, ONThis position requires travel to our studio location in California, US for photo shoot sessions.What you bring to the tablePriorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to the following responsibilities:Create realistic portraits, from sculpt or scan portraits.To author and leading the creation of hair.Create documentation of processes for others to follow as needed.Work closely with Leads, Directors and Artist to maintain the style and quality bar of CoD franchise.Works closely with the Tech Anim, Tools, Engine, and Tech art counterparts from Sledgehammer and other CoD studios to develop new workflows or improve existing tools and technologies to streamline team efficiency.Provides feedback to both internal and external artists regarding quality and technical execution.Proactively helps to troubleshoot and fix problematic content.Be a trusted gatekeeper for performance, efficiency and quality.Research subject matter relating to objectives to ensure an authentic experience.Pushing the quality of the character heads for millions of fans to enjoy.This position requires travel to our studio location in California, US.Player ProfileMinimum requirements:12+ years in the game industry working in art capacity.At least one shipped AAA title, from beginning to finishing a product, including work on an actor/actresses’ likeness either from scan, or made from scratchInspiring portfolio demonstrating focus and commitment to realistic characters especially portraits and likeness.Has experience with the entire scanning process, from the photo capture session, processing capture data to a control/game rig (the asset ready for animation).E xperience in creating realistic portraits, both from scan data and from scratchExperienced with facial rigging (blendshapes, bone base rigs or hybrid) and FACS (facial coding system.)Experienced with texturing for facial, including makeups.Experience with photogrammetry/ scanning/ PCAP tools and software.Knowledge & SkillsAble to create in-game realistic portraits from scratch.Strong anatomy knowledge.Strong understanding in creating character art assets in multiple major 3D and 2D packages (Zbrush, Maya/ 3DS Max, Photoshop, Substance) for console hardware (Xbox, PS, PC.)Excellent understanding of Physically Based Rendering system and techniques.Knowledgeable with skin and hair shaders and the ability to create in-game hair.Knowledgeable in processing raw head scan to a finished in-game asset.Possesses in-depth understanding of game engines, pipelines, and processes.Key AttributesRock solid communication across departments and problem-solving skills.Proven ability to thrive in a challenging and often ambiguous environment.Takes direction well and can confidently give clear concise directionWillingness to improve and learn new skillsAble to work under pressure and meet production deadlinesYour PlatformSledgehammer Games is a leading developer in the video game industry, best known for its work on the Call of Duty franchise. Since our inception in 2009, the studio has delivered iconic titles like including Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Call of Duty: WWII (2017), and, most recently, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III.As industry leaders in first-person shooter development, our commitment to excellence is reflected in every detail of our games, from highly polished multiplayer experiences to emotionally engaging single-player campaigns. At Sledgehammer Games, we believe in pushing boundaries, redefining the possibilities of interactive storytelling, and setting new standards for visual and gameplay fidelity. Together, we aim to deliver world-class gaming content that continues to set the bar for quality, innovation, and player engagement.We are excited to invite a talented and passionate developer to join our growing team as an Expert Head Artist based in our Canadian studio. In this role, you will work collaboratively with our talented teams across the globe, including our locations in the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. If you're ready to be part of a dynamic and collaborative environment where your skills can make a real impact, we invite you to explore career opportunities with us.To learn more about our studio, please visit us at www.sledgehammergames.com .Our WorldAt Activision, we strive to create the most iconic brands in gaming and entertainment. We’re driven by our mission to deliver unrivaled gaming experiences for the world to enjoy, together. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, Crash Bandicoot™, Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™, and Guitar Hero®. As a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and products, our “press start” is simple: delight hundreds of millions of players around the world with innovative, fun, thrilling, and engaging entertainment experiences.We’re not just looking back at our decades-long legacy; we’re forging ahead to keep advancing gameplay with some of the most popular titles and sophisticated technology in the world. We have bold ambitions to create the most inclusive company as we know our success comes from the passionate, creative, and diverse teams within our organization.We’re in the business of delivering fun and unforgettable entertainment for our player community to enjoy. And our future opportunities have never been greater — this could be your opportunity to level up.Ready to Activate Your Future?We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest. Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings. Apply

Home Trump Is the US’s New AI Salesman in the Middle East. A Smart Move or Desperation? News Trump Is the US’s New AI Salesman in the Middle East. A Smart Move or Desperation? 5 min read Published: May 18, 2025 Key Takeaways The US has signed a deal with the UAE to build the largest AI data center outside of the US. UAE will also be able to acquire 500K advanced NVIDIA AI chips every year from 2025. Saudi Arabia AI firm HUMAIN announced a partnership with NVIDIA to build 500 MW of AI factories in the next five years. Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East has turned out to be quite fruitful for both parties. The US has signed a new deal with the UAE, wherein ‘the Middle East powerhouse’ will build a 10-square-mile AI facility in Abu Dhabi with a power capacity of 5 gigawatts. Remember, this kind of power can support 2.5 million Nvidia B200 chips. The facility will be built by Emirati government-backed AI company G42. This is the same company in which Microsoft invested $1.5 billion last year. However, the US seems to be cautious about the deal and would control a large part of the facility, even after it’s operational. Howard Lutnick, the US Secretary of Commerce, said that American companies will operate the data center and offer cloud services through the Middle East. This agreement would also allow the UAE to import 500K advanced Nvidia AI chips every year starting as early as 2025. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang also accompanied Trump on his visit. Additionally, the agreement requires the UAE to reposition their national security regulations with the US, considering the country’s strong trading ties with China. This is important to prevent any diversion of US technology to other countries, specifically China. Recently, during Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, the country unveiled HUMAIN, an AI firm that is part of the country’s public investment fund. HUMAIN recently announced a landmark deal with NVIDIA, planning to build AI factories with a total capacity of 500 MW in the next 5 years, which will run on millions of NVIDIA GPUs.  These AI data centers will become launchpads for training and deploying AI models on a larger scale. Saudi Arabia wants to become an international AI powerhouse to drive the next wave of AI development in the Middle East, and its partnership with NVIDIA might just be the beginning. AI Shaping Geopolitical Ties The Middle East has been trying to ramp up its AI investments and efforts in recent years. For instance, the UAE hired Eric Xing, a pioneer AI researcher, in 2020 to lead the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence. Following this, Saudi Arabia roped in Jürgen Schmidhuber, another AI pioneer, to head its King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. However, the quality of AI research from these countries has been subpar so far when compared to China and the US. This is largely due to restricted access to advanced computing resources. That could quickly become a thing of the past, though, thanks to the new deal with the US. The Middle East seems to be standing at an important crossroads. While it needs to maintain its trading ties with China, it cannot sever US relations owing to the latter’s AI supremacy. As of 2023, China accounts for around 11% of the UAE’s total exports, valued at $41.8 billion. At the same time, it also accounts for 20% of the country’s imports at $77.42 billion.  A powerhouse like the UAE is not dumb enough to ditch China to please the US. Therefore, this deal will be a meticulously planned affair from both countries. While the US will ensure the AI chips do not end up in China, the UAE will be cautious not to ruffle China. Trump Exploring New Markets The US has also shown a lot of trust in the Middle East with this deal. Earlier, such deals were blocked by the US administration, citing the Middle East’s close connections with China. However, Trump has been quick to realize that he needs to tap the potential of the ‘oil money’ to stamp America’s authority over artificial intelligence. Another reason behind the US’s interest in the Middle East could be that it has blocked the Chinese market for manufacturers like Nvidia and AMD. In fact, a new law is under discussion that could require US companies to introduce location tracking in exported AI chips so that they do not end up in the hands of their Chinese counterparts. These strict measures will eventually lead to a total loss of Chinese markets. Also, note that China contributed 13% of Nvidia’s total revenue for the year ended January 2025. So, the US-Middle East deals could also be a desperate move by the former to find new markets for its huge AI production units. Also, Trump doesn’t seem to have many options. After exiling the Chinese markets, the Middle East is the biggest emerging AI producer and consumer globally. Other strong candidates like India haven’t shown much interest in AI technological developments, at least not until the time of writing. What’s more, the South American market may not be enough to cover for loss in Chinese revenue. So, in all probability, it seems like the US needs this deal more than the Middle East. The Middle East, on the other hand, also seems to be in the mood to redefine traditional partnerships through strategic investments and diplomatic tools, creating a win-win situation for both parties. Mohammed Soliman, a senior at the Middle East Institute, said that this shift will improve the country’s technological partnership with the US. However, this does not mean that the UAE is abandoning China – it’s just recalibrating its tech strategy to prepare for the future. Krishi is a seasoned tech journalist with over four years of experience writing about PC hardware, consumer technology, and artificial intelligence.  Clarity and accessibility are at the core of Krishi’s writing style. He believes technology writing should empower readers—not confuse them—and he’s committed to ensuring his content is always easy to understand without sacrificing accuracy or depth. Over the years, Krishi has contributed to some of the most reputable names in the industry, including Techopedia, TechRadar, and Tom’s Guide. A man of many talents, Krishi has also proven his mettle as a crypto writer, tackling complex topics with both ease and zeal. His work spans various formats—from in-depth explainers and news coverage to feature pieces and buying guides.  Behind the scenes, Krishi operates from a dual-monitor setup (including a 29-inch LG UltraWide) that’s always buzzing with news feeds, technical documentation, and research notes, as well as the occasional gaming sessions that keep him fresh.  Krishi thrives on staying current, always ready to dive into the latest announcements, industry shifts, and their far-reaching impacts.  When he's not deep into research on the latest PC hardware news, Krishi would love to chat with you about day trading and the financial markets—oh! And cricket, as well. View all articles by Krishi Chowdhary Our editorial process The Tech Report editorial policy is centered on providing helpful, accurate content that offers real value to our readers. We only work with experienced writers who have specific knowledge in the topics they cover, including latest developments in technology, online privacy, cryptocurrencies, software, and more. Our editorial policy ensures that each topic is researched and curated by our in-house editors. We maintain rigorous journalistic standards, and every article is 100% written by real authors. More from News View all View all