AI is packing and shipping efficiency for the retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) industries, with a majority of surveyed companies in the space reporting the technology is increasing revenue and reducing operational costs. Global brands are reimagining every facet of their businesses with AI, from how products are designed and manufactured to how they’re marketed, shipped and experienced in-store and online. At NVIDIA GTC Paris at VivaTech, industry leaders including L’Oréal, LVMH and Nestlé shared how they’re using tools like AI agents and physical AI — powered by NVIDIA AI and simulation technologies — across every step of the product lifecycle to enhance operations and experiences for partners, customers and employees. 3D Digital Twins and AI Transform Marketing, Advertising and Product Design The meeting of generative AI and 3D product digital twins results in unlimited creative potential. Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage company, today announced a collaboration with NVIDIA and Accenture to launch a new, AI-powered in-house service that will create high-quality product content at scale for e-commerce and digital media channels. The new content service, based on digital twins powered by the NVIDIA Omniverse platform, creates exact 3D virtual replicas of physical products. Product packaging can be adjusted or localized digitally, enabling seamless integration into various environments, such as seasonal campaigns or channel-specific formats. This means that new creative content can be generated without having to constantly reshoot from scratch. Image courtesy of Nestlé The service is developed in partnership with Accenture Song, using Accenture AI Refinery built on NVIDIA Omniverse for advanced digital twin creation. It uses NVIDIA AI Enterprise for generative AI, hosted on Microsoft Azure for robust cloud infrastructure. Nestlé already has a baseline of 4,000 3D digital products — mainly for global brands — with the ambition to convert a total of 10,000 products into digital twins in the next two years across global and local brands. LVMH, the world’s leading luxury goods company, home to 75 distinguished maisons, is bringing 3D digital twins to its content production processes through its wine and spirits division, Moët Hennessy. The group partnered with content configuration engine Grip to develop a solution using the NVIDIA Omniverse platform, which enables the creation of 3D digital twins that power content variation production. With Grip’s solution, Moët Hennessy teams can quickly generate digital marketing assets and experiences to promote luxury products at scale. The initiative, led by Capucine Lafarge and Chloé Fournier, has been recognized by LVMH as a leading approach to scaling content creation. Image courtesy of Grip L’Oréal Gives Marketing and Online Shopping an AI Makeover Innovation starts at the drawing board. Today, that board is digital — and it’s powered by AI. L’Oréal Groupe, the world’s leading beauty player, announced its collaboration with NVIDIA today. Through this collaboration, L’Oréal and its partner ecosystem will leverage the NVIDIA AI Enterprise platform to transform its consumer beauty experiences, marketing and advertising content pipelines. “AI doesn’t think with the same constraints as a human being. That opens new avenues for creativity,” said Anne Machet, global head of content and entertainment at L’Oréal. “Generative AI enables our teams and partner agencies to explore creative possibilities.” CreAItech, L’Oréal’s generative AI content platform, is augmenting the creativity of marketing and content teams. Combining a modular ecosystem of models, expertise, technologies and partners — including NVIDIA — CreAltech empowers marketers to generate thousands of unique, on-brand images, videos and lines of text for diverse platforms and global audiences. The solution empowers L’Oréal’s marketing teams to quickly iterate on campaigns that improve consumer engagement across social media, e-commerce content and influencer marketing — driving higher conversion rates. Noli.com, the first AI-powered multi-brand marketplace startup founded and backed by the  L’Oréal Groupe, is reinventing how people discover and shop for beauty products. Noli’s AI Beauty Matchmaker experience uses L’Oréal Groupe’s century-long expertise in beauty, including its extensive knowledge of beauty science, beauty tech and consumer insights, built from over 1 million skin data points and analysis of thousands of product formulations. It gives users a BeautyDNA profile with expert-level guidance and personalized product recommendations for skincare and haircare. “Beauty shoppers are often overwhelmed by choice and struggling to find the products that are right for them,” said Amos Susskind, founder and CEO of Noli. “By applying the latest AI models accelerated by NVIDIA and Accenture to the unparalleled knowledge base and expertise of the L’Oréal Groupe, we can provide hyper-personalized, explainable recommendations to our users.”  https://blogs.nvidia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Noli_Demo.mp4 The Accenture AI Refinery, powered by NVIDIA AI Enterprise, will provide the platform for Noli to experiment and scale. Noli’s new agent models will use NVIDIA NIM and NVIDIA NeMo microservices, including NeMo Retriever, running on Microsoft Azure. Rapid Innovation With the NVIDIA Partner Ecosystem NVIDIA’s ecosystem of solution provider partners empowers retail and CPG companies to innovate faster, personalize customer experiences, and optimize operations with NVIDIA accelerated computing and AI. Global digital agency Monks is reshaping the landscape of AI-driven marketing, creative production and enterprise transformation. At the heart of their innovation lies the Monks.Flow platform that enhances both the speed and sophistication of creative workflows through NVIDIA Omniverse, NVIDIA NIM microservices and Triton Inference Server for lightning-fast inference. AI image solutions provider Bria is helping retail giants like Lidl and L’Oreal to enhance marketing asset creation. Bria AI transforms static product images into compelling, dynamic advertisements that can be quickly scaled for use across any marketing need. The company’s generative AI platform uses NVIDIA Triton Inference Server software and the NVIDIA TensorRT software development kit for accelerated inference, as well as NVIDIA NIM and NeMo microservices for quick image generation at scale. Physical AI Brings Acceleration to Supply Chain and Logistics AI’s impact extends far beyond the digital world. Physical AI-powered warehousing robots, for example, are helping maximize efficiency in retail supply chain operations. Four in five retail companies have reported that AI has helped reduce supply chain operational costs, with 25% reporting cost reductions of at least 10%. Technology providers Lyric, KoiReader Technologies and Exotec are tackling the challenges of integrating AI into complex warehouse environments. Lyric is using the NVIDIA cuOpt GPU-accelerated solver for warehouse network planning and route optimization, and is collaborating with NVIDIA to apply the technology to broader supply chain decision-making problems. KoiReader Technologies is tapping the NVIDIA Metropolis stack for its computer vision solutions within logistics, supply chain and manufacturing environments using the KoiVision Platform. And Exotec is using NVIDIA CUDA libraries and the NVIDIA JetPack software development kit for embedded robotic systems in warehouse and distribution centers. From real-time robotics orchestration to predictive maintenance, these solutions are delivering impact on uptime, throughput and cost savings for supply chain operations. Learn more by joining a follow-up discussion on digital twins and AI-powered creativity with Microsoft, Nestlé, Accenture and NVIDIA at Cannes Lions on Monday, June 16. Watch the NVIDIA GTC Paris keynote from NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang at VivaTech, and explore GTC Paris sessions.

TechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.TechTarget and InformaTechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.Together, we power an unparalleled network of 220+ online properties covering 10,000+ granular topics, serving an audience of 50+ million professionals with original, objective content from trusted sources. We help you gain critical insights and make more informed decisions across your business priorities.SAG-AFTRA proposed AI protections will let performers send their digital replicas on strikeSAG-AFTRA proposed AI protections will let performers send their digital replicas on strikeA tentative agreement proposed by the union will also require game studios to secure informed consent from performers when using AI.Chris Kerr, Senior Editor, NewsJune 13, 20251 Min ReadImage via SAG-AFTRAPerformer union SAG-AFTRA has outlined what sort of AI protections have been secured through its new-look Interactive Media Agreement (IMA).The union, which this week suspended a year-long strike after finally agreeing terms with game studios signed to the IMA, said the new contract includes "important guardrails and gains around AI" such as the need for informed consent when deploying AI tech and the ability for performers to suspend consent for Digital Replicas during a strike—effectively sending their digital counterparts to the picket line.Compensation gains include the need for collectively-bargained minimums covering the use of Digital Replicas created with IMA-covered performances and higher minimums (7.5x scale) for what SAG-AFTRA calls "Real Time Generation," which is when a Digital Replica-voiced chatbot might be embedded in a video game.Secondary Performance Payments will also require studios to compensate performers when visual performances are reused in additional projects. The tentative agreement has already been approved by the SAG-AFTRA National Board and has now been submitted to union members for ratification.If ratified, it will also provide compounded compensation increases at a rate of 15.17 percent plus additional 3 percent increases in November 2025, November 2026, and November 2027. In addition, the overtime rate maximum for overscale performers will be based on double scale.Related:The full terms off the three-year deal will be released on June 18 alongside other ratification materials. Eligible SAG-AFTRA members will have until 5pm PDT on Wednesday, July 9, to vote on the agreement. Read more about:Labor & UnionizationAbout the AuthorChris KerrSenior Editor, News, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

William Morris Biscuit Set. All images courtesy of Ella Hawkins, shared with permission Dr. Ella Hawkins Reimagines Ancient Artifacts and Prized Objects as Edible Replicas May 31, 2025 Grace Ebert Academic research is notoriously niche and often opaque, but Dr. Ella Hawkins has found a crowd-pleasing way to share her studies. The Birmingham-based artist and design historian translates her interests in Shakespeare performance, costume, and matieral culture into edible replicas. Hawkins bakes batches of cookies that she tops with royal icing. Decorating takes a scholarly turn, as she uses tiny paintbrushes and a mini projector to help trace imagery of William Morris’ ornate floral motifs or coastal scenes from English delftware. Rendering a design on a single cookie can take anywhere between two and four hours, depending on the complexity. Unsurprisingly, minuscule calligraphy and portraits are most demanding. Ancient Greek Pottery Sherds Hawkins first merged baking and her research about a decade ago while studying undergraduate costume design at the University of Warwick. She decided to bake cupcakes based on Shakespeare productions that her class examined. “It felt like a fun way to look back at all the different design styles we’d covered through the year,” she tells Colossal, adding: I carried on decorating cakes and cookies based on costume design through my PhD (mainly as goodies to give out during talks, or as gifts for designers that I interviewed), then branched out and spent lots of time doing cookie versions of other artefacts to keep busy during the pandemic. She has since published an academic book on the topic and is a senior lecturer at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. But she also continues to translate artifacts and prized objects held within museum collections into delicious canvases. There’s a set made in collaboration with Milton’s Cottage, a museum in the country house where John Milton finished his epic Paradise Lost. Anchored by a delicately crosshatched portrait evoking that of the frontispiece, the collection contains typographic titles and signs that appear straight from a 17th-century book. Delftware Tiles Hawkins ventures farther back in history to ancient Greece with a collection of pottery sherds inspired by objects within the Ashmolean Museum. With a bowed surface to mimic a vessel’s curvature, the irregular shapes feature fragments of various motifs and figures to which she applied a sgraffito technique, a Renaissance method of scratching a surface to reveal the layer below. The weathered appearance is the result of blotting a base of pale brown-grey before using a scribe tool to scratch and crack the royal icing coating the surface. She then lined these etchings with a mix of vodka and black food coloring to mimic dirt and wear. (It’s worth taking a look at this process video.) Other than a select few preserved for talks and events, Hawkins assures us that the rest of her cookies are eaten. Find more of her work on her website and Instagram. Medieval Tiles, inspired by The Tristram Tiles, Chertsey, Surrey, England (c. 1260s-70s) Milton’s Cottage Biscuit Set developed in collaboration with Milton’s Cottage Outlander Biscuit Set Elizabethan Gauntlet Biscuit Set Next article

Minimalist this, minimalist that. The age of white-washed, super scant, and industrial spaces are behind us—designers are craving excitement, color, life, stories within interior design. One way that’s easy to manifest is through maximalist bedding with punchy colors, big stripes, and winding patterns.We’ve done a deep dive on which bedding sets do the most for a proper bedroom makeover—that includes textures too, with silks, linens, and percale all in the mix. A deep cobalt silk sheet set can add mystery and allure to your bedding bundle, while a gingham linen set can take a space from empty to abundant.And if you’re just beginning your foray into bolder styles, fear not—a pattern looks just as good peaking from behind a solid-colored duvet as it does out in the open, dueling with vertical stripes or contrasting colors.Our top picks for the best maximalist bedding:For a Statement Colorway : Quince Double Flange Duvet Cover Set, $190Best Budget Bedding: Lane Linen Organic Cotton Sheet Set, $45 $43For the Sophisticated Maximalist: Linoto Linen Sheet Set, $565Best Floral Pick: West Elm Jawahar Duvet Cover, $139For the Cottagecore Fanatic: Piglet in Bed Linen Blend Duvet Cover, $299Quince Double Flange Duvet Cover SetDeep burgundy makes for a statement neutral with this linen duvet cover set. Contributor Elise Portale notes that the European flax linen is “soft and comfy,” and the material only gets softer with numerous washes. A desert terra-cotta, a deep olive, warm sunset shade, and others can each make an impactful design statement in your space—maybe even pair with a patterned or striped detail to make the most of your bedding moment.Lane Linen Organic Cotton Sheet SetPolka dots are back. Ranking highly in our best Amazon sheets and softest sheets our editors swear by, these sheets boast quality and style—tester Kristi Kellogg says “after a couple years of use, they’re still in tip-top shape—they haven’t faded or pilled, and they’re still soft and comfy.” The small polka dot makes for a fun design detail without becoming twee, or dating itself. A tiny polka dot will always make for a charming detail.Linoto Linen Sheet SetHandmade in upstate New York with high-quality Italian and Belgian linen, these sheets are an indulgent piece of home decor and make for a super high-end maximalist bedding moment. With 30 shades to choose from, you can take your room coastal with an aquamarine, or make things Mediterranean with this espresso or a touch of French Provencal with the navy striped set. No matter your maximalist choice, you can rest assured these are some of the highest quality linen options on the market. They’re beloved by contributor Erika Owen for “the lived-in look they constantly have, thanks to the easy wrinkling.”West Elm Jawahar Duvet CoverFloral bedding is an easy way to optimize maximalism in your bedroom—the block print style of this duvet cover and shams create a welcoming boho sense of decor, making things feel both bright and relaxed in your space. They’re also made from 100% cotton, which bodes well for breathability and durability, so you can enjoy this unique bedding set for some time.Piglet in Bed Linen Blend Duvet CoverPiglet in Bed is our cottagecore go-to. Their wide selection of gingham styles achieve the English countryside kind of style that’s widely trending, while still maintaining quality. “The quality is unmatched, and I predict I’ll use these for as long as they’ll last (seemingly incredibly long),” says senior digital design editor Zoë Sessums. “You really get what you pay for, so I would say these are A+++ sheets.” These sheets are Oeko-Tex-certified (meaning they’re free of harmful chemicals), and their linen blend is made from a soft combo of 55% European linen and 45% long staple cotton.Lunya Quintessential Duvet CoverMaximalism comes in more forms than bright colors and big prints—textures play just as important a role in exaggerating your space. This silky (and newly released) duvet cover from Lunya looks and feels luxe, and the shiny exterior adds a bright, reflective touch to your bedding that can make a space feel more open, bright, and extravagant.Maeve Cotton Striped Ruffle Printed Duvet CoverThis is maximalism to a T: a big stripe, a ruffle detail, a bold contrast. If you’re really wanting to go for it, consider pairing this with some more playful stripes in different colors and breadths. Purple or terra-cotta could make some more sophisticated pairings here, or a light pink could make a darling decor set in a child’s bedroom (or yours!).Brooklinen x Caroline Z. Hurley Percale Core Sheet SetThis new release from Brooklinen is a favorite of commerce writer Julia Harrison’s who calls the sheet “as cute as it is comfortable.” Many an AD staffer loves the feeling of Brooklinen’s percale, and this collaboration with Brooklyn-based designer Caroline Z Hurley brings the texture and temperature we love about these sheets to a design moment that lands solidly between coastal and boho. The colorways also offer three levels of maximalism: pebble being the most subtle, and the blue or coral make for increasing intervals of depth and contrast.Clementine Atelier Medica Silk Fitted SheetIf you’re looking to make your bed the centerpiece of your maximalist dreamscape, these sheets from Clementine are a good start. A deep navy silk is both cozy and alluring—sophisticated and still sexy. Harrison confirms these sheets are “as soft as they look, and make for such a luxurious sleeping experience, it’s almost royal.”Matouk Cabanon Stripe Flat SheetThese sheets take a different approach to cottagecore than Piglet in Bed but achieve the desired look from a different, perhaps more French angle. They look like exact antique replicas—a pinstripe paired with a line of tiny florals in a soft indigo. They’re also made from percale, meaning they’re cooling, soft, and long-lasting.Marimekko Iso Unikko Duvet Cover and Sham SetMarimekko had to make the list for maximalist bedrooms. The Finnish brand has long been making their signature huge floral prints, known everywhere and anywhere, called “Unikko.” The black and white tone down its impact, while still creating a pop art impression for an art-forward space.Petitie Plume Bed Sheet SetOne more sheet set Harrison loves is this pick from Petite Plume. This is a percale that lives up to its name. “On top of being my favorite decor element in my room,” she says. “I have these blue stripes peeking from under bright white linen, and it feels like waking up in a Grecian hotel every day.” These could pair easily with more stripes, or a bright throw blanket for further impact.

Hollywood’s actors’ union filed an unfair labor practice charge against Epic Games on Monday, alleging the company replaced actors’ work by using artificial intelligence to generate Darth Vader’s voice in Fortnite without notice.The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists said Llama Productions, a subsidiary of the gaming giant, “failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union” in the last six months. The company made unilateral changes to the terms and conditions of employment “without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain” by using AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work, Sag-Aftra said. Epic Games did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Sag-Aftra called for a strike against major game companies in July after more than a year of negotiations around the union’s interactive media agreement broke down over concerns around the use of unregulated artificial intelligence. The strike is ongoing.In a statement, Sag-Aftra said the union supports the rights of members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas.“However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader’s iconic rhythm and tone in video games,” the union said.skip past newsletter promotionSign up to TechScapeFree weekly newsletterA weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our livesPrivacy 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 promotionEpic is engaged in a separate major legal battle at the same time it faces the ire of the actors’ union. Late last week, Fortnite became unavailable on iPhones and iPads the world over after Apple rejected the resubmission of the game to the App Store. The game had been unavailable as the two fought a lengthy court case, in which Epic scored a major victory last month allowing for in-app purchases to be made without the use of Apple’s systems.

In case you haven't heard, Fortnite — the megahit video game from Epic Games that's stuffed with characters from every media franchise imaginable, not to mention real celebrities — has become a cause célèbre after it introduced Darth Vader as an in-game boss. This was no ordinary homage to the "Star Wars" villain. It uses "conversational AI" to recreate the iconic voice of the late actor James Earl Jones, allowing gamers to chat with the Sith Lord and ask him pretty much any question they want.Though it's resulted in plenty of light-hearted fun, gamers, being gamers, immediately set to work tricking the AI into swearing and saying slurs.But that's only the beginning of the controversy, if you can believe it. On Monday, the Screen Actor's Guild blasted Epic Games for its AI Vader stunt and filed an unfair labor complaint against the developer with the National Labor Relations Board, arguing that Epic's use of AI violated their agreement by replacing human performers without notice."Fortnite's signatory company, Llama Productions, chose to replace the work of human performers with AI technology," SAG-AFTRA said in a statement. "Unfortunately, they did so without providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms." SAG-AFTRA is still on strike against the video game industry, though actors are still allowed work on Fortnite and some other exempted projects, . Voice actors, in general, have struggled to win the same protections against AI as other performers in other fields. It's easier and far cheaper to fake someone's voice and pass it off as real than it is to mimic a visual performance.For this stunt, Epic used Google's Gemini 2.0 model to generate the wording of Vader's responses, and ElevenLabs' Flash v2.5 model for the audio.Whatever your thoughts on the ethics of resurrecting a dead actor's voice with AI, no theft is involved with Epic's AI Vader  — just, if SAG is to be believed, dubious labor practices. It was created in collaboration with Jones' estate, according to an Epic press release featuring a statement from the family. Jones, shortly before he passed away, signed a contract with Disney allowing the AI startup Respeecher to clone his voice. That's all fine with SAG-AFTRA. It doesn't necessarily have a problem with actors — or their estates — licensing AI replicas of themselves. "However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members," the union wrote, "including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games."We'll have to see what the labor board and Epic make of SAG-AFTRA's claims. In the meantime, it's pretty jarring to see an AI version of Jones' legendary Vader performance out in the wild and answering silly questions in a video game.More on AI: Even Audiobooks Aren't Safe From AI SlopShare This Article

The best summer wreaths are a warm-weather update on traditionally festive decor, substituting holly and pine for colorful flowers and lush greenery. Fresh, faux, or dried, there are a number of floral, botanical, and beach-inspired interpretations to dress up your doorway or a naked wall in your home. “Summer wreaths are prettiest when they are full of herbs and wildflowers,” says Sarah Storms, the founder of Styled by Storms in Maplewood, New Jersey, and a member of the AD PRO Directory. “I like when they have a bit of whimsy to them as well.” And while there’s a lot to love about a handmade wreath design, sometimes we can only muster up the strength to click “Add to Cart.” That’s why we scoured the internet for the best seasonal pieces to greet your guests (plus some you could easily display year-round).Our top picks for the best summer wreaths:For indoor/outdoor versatility: West Elm Faux Succulent Wreath, $149For a home-tour look: McGee & Co. Faux Wild Grass & Eucalyptus Wreath, $168For a pop of color: Terrain Dried Painter’s Palette Wreath, from $98For statement-making: Crate & Barrel Live Hydrangea Berry Wreath, $199Best budget pick: Chiyinbao Eucalyptus Wreath, $32Low-maintenance luxury: Winward Home Magnolia Wreath, $590West Elm Faux Succulent WreathSucculents are generally low-maintenance plants, but West Elm makes it even more convenient with this faux summer wreath featuring realistic-looking cacti. Display it on the front door or make it the centerpiece in your dining room for a fresh spin on a living arrangement.McGee & Co. Faux Wild Grass & Eucalyptus WreathThe first thing you spot in Shea McGee’s Salt Lake City home is the leafy wreath hanging on the door, and the designer even sells her own one embellished with faux greenery if you want to recreate the look. Faux magnolia leaves intertwine with artificial eucalyptus for decor that will look evergreen all season, indoors or out.Terrain Dried Painter’s Palette WreathAnother dried floral alternative, this wreath from Anthropologie’s garden and home brand Terrain provides an artful pop of color for spring and summer, with craspedia, coxcomb, caspia, and other brightly hued flowers in the mix. Due to its delicate nature, this wreath is best for indoor display—maybe as a statement piece in a gallery wall or surrounding an otherwise drab fruit bowl.Crate & Barrel Live Hydrangea Berry WreathHomes bathed in neutral hues can benefit from a textured wreath like this one from Crate & Barrel. In partnership with Creekside Farms in Greenfield, California, this live eucalyptus, boxwood, and hydrangea wreath will eventually dry and can last for up to a year. To better preserve it, consider placing it indoors or on a front door with a screen or glass barrier.Chiyinbao Eucalyptus WreathYou don’t need a special occasion to enjoy a summer wreath, but this one is elegant enough to hold court at a backyard wedding or milestone birthday bash. We like that it has an approachable price point, in case you want to stock up on multiples.Pottery Barn Faux Peony WreathPink peony is the main character in this faux floral wreath. Made for indoor use only, it’s a warm and charming addition to an entryway, bedroom shelf, or floral-themed nursery.Williams Sonoma Garden Party Live WreathThis garden wreath comes recommended by Storms and is packed with lavender, poppy pods, wheat, and more air-dried botanicals. Sourced with locally grown botanicals and crafted in Washington, it’s a wreath that perfectly captures the “garden party” in its name.Winward Home Magnolia WreathWinward Home refers to its products as “permanent botanicals,” and the luxury replicas are designed and hand-assembled in California. This wreath is punctuated by several magnolia flowers that stand out against a leafy backdrop. Because of its faux materials and white and green colorway, it’s versatile enough to display all year.Magnolia Daisy WreathDaisies are another quintessential summer staple for gardening enthusiasts, adding subtle charm to any bare-bones space. The artfully arranged style from Magnolia looks like the real deal, but it’s made from polyethylene for all-year-round display.Hudson Grace Fresh Citrus Sunrise WreathInterior designers have been adding citrus to tablescapes for years, but in wreath form they feel extra special. This design from The Magnolia Company features fresh citrus slices carefully tucked into olive and salal leaves to enhance the spread you’ll be serving. Each wreath is handmade, so each one will be distinct from the next.Colorspec Olive WreathWreaths also make excellent housewarming or hostess gifts to welcome new neighbors or surprise a friend with something other than a bottle of wine. This eucalyptus design we spotted on Amazon is an especially thoughtful pick since olives symbolize peace and friendship.Williams Sonoma Bleached Fleur De Sel Live WreathThis coastal-inspired wreath is ideal for a beach home, combining nautical motifs such as shells and starfish with dried flowers and painted twigs. The bleached blooms create a peaceful effect in a bedroom or bathroom while blending into your design scheme.

Force Pushback Fortnite's AI Darth Vader hasn't just created problems for Epic by being Jedi mind-tricked into saying bad words, it's led SAG-AFTRA to file an unfair labour practice charge "We must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members." Image credit: Epic News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on May 20, 2025 Late last week, Fortnite got a Darth Vader chatbot you can squad up with and have stilted AI-powered conversations that use James Earl Jones' actual voice. It's not just said a bunch of stuff it wasn't supposed to - it's now led the SAG-AFTRA union to file unfair labour practice charge. If you weren't around last week, Epic quickly had to issue a patch to the bot - which has been made with the approval of deceased Vader VA Jones' family - not long after it was released into the wild, because players had managed to get it to say stuff it shouldn't. You know, swears, slurs, and chatter about breasts. To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Fast forward to last night, when voice acting union SAG-AFTRA issued a statement on the AI Vader bot, challenging Epic on it being a thing and revealing that it's filed an unfair labour practice charge with the US National Labour Relations Board. "We celebrate the right of our members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas and welcome the use of new technologies to allow new generations to share in the enjoyment of those legacies and renowned roles," the union wrote, acknowledging Jones' estate having approved the bot, "However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games. "Fortnite's signatory company, Llama Productions, chose to replace the work of human performers with A.I. technology. Unfortunately, they did so without providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms. As such, we have filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB against Llama Productions." VG247 has reached out to Epic for comment. So, we'll have to see what, if anything comes of the union challenging Llama Productions over allegedly not providing it notice of its plans to use AI to create AI Vader. It's yet another chapter in the union and many voice actors' efforts to secure protections against the use of AI to mimic voices, which it's been argued presents an existential threat to their profession. After all, as the union argues here, getting another actor to deliver voice lines for Fortnite Vader that sound like Jones would have been an alternative option to using AI her. Though as I've said, Epic and Llama did secure the right permission from those representing the AI-emulated actor's interests. How do you feel about AI Vader? Let us know below.

SAG-AFTRA files unfair labour practice charge against Fortnite maker Epic, following AI-generated Darth Vader voice lines The actors strike back. Image credit: Epic News by Victoria Kennedy News Reporter Published on May 20, 2025 SAG-AFTRA has filed an unfair labour practice charge against Fortnite maker Epic, following its use of AI to recreate James Earl Jones' voice for Darth Vader. Prior to his death, actor Jones - who along with Darth Vader also lent his vocal stylings to Disney's The Lion King as Mufasa - gave permission for his voice to be replicated using AI, and technology was used to generate Vader's voice in the Disney+ show Obi-Wan Kenobi. Jones' AI-powered voice as the Star Wars Sith Lord then cropped up again last week, this time in Fortnite, where players could chat with Darth Vader via Epic's online game. The AI-generated voice used in Fortnite arrived with permission from Jones' family, who said they hoped the collaboration with Epic would "allow both longtime fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character". However, soon players began using the technology to get Darth to cuss, resulting in Epic swiftly issuing a hotfix to stop this from happening. Now, American actors' union SAG-AFTRA - which represents 160,000 American media professionals, including voiceover artists - has filed an unfair labour practice charge with the NLRB against Llama Productions, which is wholly owned by Epic Games. The union stated the company "chose to replace the work of human performers with AI technology… without providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms". In a statement shared last night, SAG-AFTRA said it "[celebrates] the right of our members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas", and that it welcomes " the use of new technologies to allow new generations to share in the enjoyment of those legacies and renowned roles". However, the organisation believes it must still protect its "right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members". It noted this includes actors who have also worked to replicate "Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games". In its filing - which you can read here - SAG-AFTRA said Llama Productions via Epic "failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union", and it did this by "making unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment, without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain, by utilising AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work" for Fortnite. Eurogamer has reached out to Epic for comment on SAG-AFTRA's filing. Image credit: Epic Games Actors from SAG-AFTRA have been on strike since July, as the union negotiates with various video game companies on the Interactive Media Agreement. AI has been one of the biggest sticking points of the strikes. Earlier this year, Mass Effect voice actor Jennifer Hale spoke to Eurogamer about why the strike remains ongoing. "It's a huge issue for all of us and the repercussions are vast," she said. "So to me, it makes sense that everyone needs to take their time. As performers - and we saw this in the writers strike and the theatrical contract strike - we're just the canary in the coal mine."