This year’s hurricane season was marked by three Category 5 storms—some of the most potent hurricanes ever documented—yet there were no landfalls on U.S. soil, leading to an unusual lull during the typically active period. These elements contributed to what many are calling a “screwball” season.
Atmospheric scientist Phil Klotzbach made this observation.
“It’s been quite an unusual year,” noted Klotzbach, a hurricane researcher at Colorado State University. “Characterizing this year’s patterns has been challenging.”
The official end of hurricane season is November 30th. Notably, the year 2025 aligns with anticipated increases in storm frequency as climate change progresses. Late-season hurricanes formed, some escalating rapidly and producing some of the most intense storms recorded.
In many respects, it was simply puzzling. Although fewer hurricanes developed than anticipated, nearly all that did reached major storm status. For the first time in a decade, the U.S. mainland avoided any landfalls, underscoring the unpredictable nature of hurricane seasons, despite improvements in forecast accuracy. This is particularly true in a warming climate.
Hurricanes will occur less frequently but with greater intensity.
In May, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasters predicted a stronger-than-usual season, estimating six to ten hurricanes, including at least three major storms classified as Category 3 or higher, with winds of 111 miles per hour or more.
Klotzbach independently confirmed this forecast, as did other hurricane monitoring organizations. We were on the same page.
Ultimately, while the number of hurricanes was lower than expected, four out of the five that formed (Erin, Gabriel, Humberto, Imelda, and Melissa) were classified as major.
Hurricane Imelda impacted Bermuda on October 1st.NOAA
“This marks the highest rate seen in the past 50 years,” remarked Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Ocean, Atmospheric and Earth Sciences.
Additionally, three of those storms reached the Category 5 level, the pinnacle of hurricane intensity.
Despite the limited number of storms, forecasters’ predictions of an above-average season held true, as measured by a metric called accumulated cyclone energy, which gauges the total intensity and duration of tropical cyclones throughout the season.
Klotzbach estimated the stored energy would be 125% of the 30-year average; the season concluded at 108%. This indicates that, given the fewer storms, each one was particularly powerful.
“It wasn’t about quantity this season; rather, it was about intensity,” he commented.
Klotzbach noted that nine of the last ten Atlantic hurricane seasons have been warmer than average, attributing this trend to rising ocean temperatures and the La Niña cycle, which generally weakens upper-level winds that inhibit hurricane formation.
McNoldy, who meticulously tracks Atlantic Ocean temperatures, stated that 2025 is expected to be “unusually warm.”
“Regardless of the storms we experienced, there was undoubtedly a significant amount of fuel available,” McNoldy said. Heat from the ocean promotes evaporation, driving warm, moist air upward and leading to convection. For hurricanes to develop, ocean temperatures must be at least 79 degrees Fahrenheit.
In today’s landscape of live service “Forever Games,” it seems almost outdated to view the annual release of a new Call of Duty title as a significant occasion. Yet, Black Ops 7 emerges as a fresh assault of stunning military shooting action, merely a year after its immediate predecessor. This latest installment takes place in the dystopian year of 2035, where a global arms manufacturing firm named Guild claims to be the sole solution to a looming apocalyptic terrorist threat. But are things really that straightforward?
The response is a resounding “No!” Black Ops serves as the paranoid, conspiracy-driven cousin to the Modern Warfare series, drawing inspiration from ’70s thrillers like The Parallax View and The China Syndrome, while incorporating concerns from the Vietnam era related to rogue CIA operatives and unusual psychological tactics. This campaign mode, which comprises just a quarter of this year’s storyline, presents a surreal exploration of sociopolitical themes such as psychotic companies, hybrid warfare, robotics, and high-tech oligarchy. The result is a deafening barrage of explosive gunfight set pieces in exotic locales, placing our four main characters—members of an ultra-elite special forces unit—under the influence of psychotropic substances as they navigate their darkest nightmares. Fortunately, they wield advanced weaponry, cutting-edge gadgets, and enough light-hearted banter to destabilize an entire nation. It’s chaotic, uncompromising, and incredibly entertaining, especially when experienced in co-op mode with three equally reckless friends.
In an intriguing twist, the campaign concludes with a new mode called Endgame. This cooperative PvE (player vs. environment) feature is inspired by the endgame content found in MMO (massively multiplayer online) games, such as World of Warcraft, and is intended to keep players engaged even after reaching maximum levels. In this Call of Duty iteration, players arrive in the fictional city of Avalon, undertaking missions to defeat high-value targets and safely escort valuable military technology across a vast open world. As you progress, you’ll upgrade your characters and weapons, with Activision promising new missions and objectives that will likely introduce public events where teams collaborate to take down megabosses. Only time will reveal the true potential, but for now, it’s an excellent way to extend the campaign and gear up for online action.
Future War … Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Photo: Activision
Make no mistake, the core of the game lies in traditional multiplayer, introducing fresh modes, firearms, and gadgets to the classic Call of Duty experience. Twelve players engage in frenetic skirmishes within confined spaces in a mechanized bloodbath. New maps, such as those set in a Tokyo-inspired shopping area or a deep-sea oil rig, are masterfully crafted death chambers, featuring alleyways, high windows, and plazas that strategically lead players toward confrontation. My favorite is the Alaska Basemap, where moving platforms turn capturing objectives in Domination and Hardpoint modes into a fascinating challenge. Additionally, a new wall-jumping feature enhances the verticality of maps, enabling players to discover new paths through intricate structures. If you’ve never appreciated the high-paced brutality of the Call of Duty online experience, this likely won’t change your opinion, but for veterans of the carnage, there’s plenty to relish.
Then there’s the Zombies mode—an additional online co-op feature set within a nightmarish landscape filled with abandoned frontier towns and irradiated wastelands. Players must endure endless waves of undead foes while upgrading their weaponry and abilities. This iteration returns to the round-based format of earlier Zombies entries, offering new weapons and features, including the ability to traverse different areas in a pickup truck while blasting away at rampaging zombies from the hood. It feels like an exhilarating amusement park ride, and it’s a thrill to join forces with friends who share the same passion.
Additionally, there’s Dead Ops Arcade 4, a standalone top-down twin-stick shooter for up to four players. This extra mode began as a side project by original Black Ops team members and is cleverly hidden within the main game. It’s back and just as exciting as ever, evoking memories of classic multi-directional shooters like Smash TV and Geometry Wars. Between stages, players can also engage in mini-games that explore various genres, such as top-down racing and side-scrolling shooters, ensuring that even casual players can join in on the fun.
With all this, don’t forget the usual updates to the battle royale mode Warzone, creating a robust package for Call of Duty aficionados. Regardless of your views on the series and its complex role in the broader gaming industry, as well as its community, it delivers sophisticated and exhilarating entertainment. Where else can you find yourself exploding massive robots in a state-of-the-art science lab one moment and then enjoying a modern twist on Atari’s Super Sprint the next? In today’s gaming landscape, value reigns supreme, and like everything else, Call of Duty does not hold back in this department. It stands as a maximalist celebration of the chaotic truths of video game design. It’s a load of fun to shoot on-screen.
TThe Ofcom regulators, equipped with clipboards, navigated the exhibition space during the International Adult Industry Conference in Prague over the weekend, aiming to motivate 1,700 attendees to adhere to the UK’s newly implemented online safety regulations.
“Be truthful,” a regulator addressed a crowd of porn site operators and staff during a midday seminar discussing the age verification requirements that were set in motion in July as part of the legislative framework for accessing adult content. “Be transparent. If your efforts fall short, include them in the risk assessment.”
Attendees enjoying complimentary champagne offered by conference sponsors posed some uneasy inquiries. What steps should a company take if it lacks the funds for age verification? How hefty are the penalties? Can a site circumvent regulations by blocking traffic from the UK? Were Ofcom officials aware that some site owners might be trying to undermine their competitors by reporting them for non-compliance?
Presentation by Ofcom at the Wyndham Diplomat Hotel in Prague, Czech Republic. Photographer: Bjoern Steinz/Björn Steinz/Panos Pictures
“We are here to assist you,” another Ofcom regulator explained to an audience of around 50 men and seven women. “It’s a challenge. There’s a wealth of information to absorb, but we exist to assist members of the adult industry in achieving compliance.”
Seven weeks following the activation of the online safety law, Ofcom officials seek to portray the adult industry’s response to this legislation in a positive light. They noted that most of the leading 10 and top 100 adult websites have either implemented age verification checks or restricted access within the UK. Platforms like X and Reddit, which feature pornographic content, also provide age verification guarantees. In August, views surged to 7.5 million on the top five age verification websites, up from 1 million in June.
Regulators intend to frame the introduction of age verification on July 27 as a pivotal moment for the industry, dubbing it “AV Day,” when children’s access to British porn would be unequivocally obstructed. The situation, however, is more nuanced.
Ofcom screen at the Prague conference. Photographer: Bjoern Steinz/Björn Steinz/Panos Pictures
In the days following the law’s enactment, there was a notable spike in VPN downloads, enabling users to disguise their locations and bypass age verification prompts.
“This development was quite unfortunate,” commented Mike Stabile, director of public policy for the Free Speech Coalition, representing American adult entertainment. He mentioned moving to a location that did not comply and opted for a non-compliant site. “VPN usage has surged. People are not compliant. Traffic is redirecting to piracy sites. I don’t think Ofcom will regard this outcome as what they intended.”
Corey Silverstein, an American attorney representing several companies in the adult industry and who has encountered numerous failed attempts at enforcing age verification laws in the U.S., noted a significant skepticism towards regulators. “While people maintain professionalism and politeness, this is not the most agreeable audience. Some display overt disdain. You can sense the discomfort in participating in an event like this.”
Despite this, he delivered a presentation for site owners, advising them to confront their aversion to regulators and collaborate with Ofcom to implement new guidelines.
“Their intent is not to harm your business. They are quite friendly. They aren’t out to eliminate you,” he stated. “As I understand it, they do not even impose financial fines. Their goal is to guide you towards compliance.”
Ofcom officials were dressed in neatly pressed white shirts, working amid the ambient sounds of steel drums, distributing A4 printed questionnaires while sponsors served cocktails and a troupe of feather-clad dancers entertained attendees.
The paper form, which allowed for anonymous responses, requested representatives to indicate whether they had adopted age verification in the UK and to discuss reasons for inaction regarding non-compliant businesses. By Saturday evening, Ofcom officials noted that an insufficient number of representatives had completed the form but remained hopeful for better participation on Sunday.
Though no fines have yet been issued under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom has initiated 12 investigations into over 60 porn services, including websites and applications.
Updates from these investigations have fueled discontent among adult site proprietors, who are also advocating for stricter regulations in the U.S. and France. Yet, there was some begrudging acknowledgment of Ofcom’s effort to engage with the industry in events and dialogues.
“In the U.S., regulatory bodies often shy away from engaging with us,” remarked Alex Kekeshi, vice president of PornHub’s brand and community. “I appreciate Ofcom’s invitation to the table. Such engagement is often overlooked in discussions on industry regulations.”
Before July 27, Ofcom established a specialized porn portfolio team consisting of six compliance officers to encourage businesses to meet regulatory standards. These team members requested anonymity due to conservative reasons but participated in similar discussions in Berlin, Amsterdam, and LA. Additionally, a larger team of over 40 staff members is focused on investigating organizations that fail to comply.
“We are acutely aware of the industry’s scale and the ease of establishing services for distributing pornographic content indiscriminately,” one regulator remarked. “We are not claiming to lead every service towards compliance; our strategy is to allocate resources where children face the highest risk of harm.” When penalties are applied, they are designed with a deterrent effect, potentially reaching up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue.
“Companies can opt not to risk being pursued by us or facing penalties. We aim to shift the incentive balance so that compliance is deemed less risky.”
Another Ofcom representative avoided commenting on the increase in VPN downloads, asserting that the law’s purpose is to prevent children from inadvertently encountering pornographic content (rather than going after those who deliberately seek it).
In their bid to comply with the new age verification requirements, site owners are also addressing the challenges posed by AI-generated content, urging users to engage of Ofcom’s attention and seeking to prevent companies like Visa and MasterCard from processing payments linked to violent and illegal content. Sites and applications featuring AI-generated pornography also fall under the scope of this legislation.
“How can we distinguish between a 15-year-old AI model and one that represents an 18- or 19-year-old within compliance frameworks?” one attendee questioned, expressing concerns about the potential for AI to inadvertently generate child sexual abuse material.
Steve Jones, who operates an AI porn site, stressed that AI systems need to be programmed to acknowledge what is deemed inappropriate. “We must ensure that depictions are not too youthful or flat. We will disallow pigtails, braces, and toys typically associated with children,” he stated. “AI lacks the ability to differentiate between youthful-looking adults and minors. It’s crucial to teach these distinctions.”
French legislators are urging state prosecutors to look into whether Tiktok is jeopardizing the safety of its younger users.
Socialist MP Arthur Delaporte leads a six-month investigation by the French Parliament into the psychological effects of Tiktok on minors, citing testimonies from families, social media leaders, and influencers.
He stated in an interview with French Fos: “The evidence is clear. Tiktok intentionally endangers the health and safety of its users, which is why we have brought this matter to the attention of Paris prosecutors.”
He added, “This may also represent perjury, especially when Tiktok executives claimed they were unaware of the situation.”
It will be up to the prosecutor to determine if an investigation should be initiated into the widely used short video platform.
The French Parliamentary Committee was created following the 2024 French lawsuit to assess Tiktok and its psychological effects.
The Final Report from the Parliamentary Committee, released on Thursday, described Tiktok as akin to “slow poison” for children. Laure Miller, a centrist MP co-leading the investigation, remarked that Tiktok is a “sea of harmful content” that algorithmically targets vulnerable children.
The report suggests that social media use should be entirely prohibited for those under 15 in France, and that a “digital curfew” should be imposed for users aged 15 to 18.
Additionally, it calls for a large public relations initiative aimed at “irresponsible parents” who fail to supervise their children’s social media activities, along with the creation of a new offense for “digital negligence.”
Delaporte emphasized that these recommendations aim to stimulate societal discussions. He stated, “The primary focus is on European regulations and how to compel platforms to modify their algorithms.”
A spokesperson for Tiktok responded, “We strongly refute the misleading claims from the platform committee that aims to blame us for broader industry challenges. Tiktok has over 70 features and settings tailored to support teenagers and their families.”
An executive from Tiktok, a subsidiary of the Chinese company Bytedance, informed the French parliamentary committee that the app employs AI-powered moderation, which last year successfully identified 98% of content violating its terms of service in France.
Emmanuel Macron’s administration has expressed interest in a ban on social media for children and young people, following Australia’s development of landmark legislation prohibiting access for individuals under 16.
Geraldine, whose 18-year-old daughter tragically took her own life, told Agence France-Presse that she discovered a self-harm video her daughter had posted on Tiktok after her passing.
“Tiktok didn’t cause our daughter’s death, but we hold Tiktok accountable for its inadequate online moderation, which plunged her deeper into her darker impulses.”
Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report
Oral assessments, enhanced security protocols, and quicker evaluations are all on the agenda as Generated Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to redefine the future of student examinations.
As the 2025 exam season draws to a close, AI is already making waves following the announcement of GCSE results, with students primarily relying on conventional pen-and-paper methods for their exams.
With a transformation in exam preparation underway, students are increasingly turning to personalized AI tutors that generate study materials tailored to their specific needs, potentially leading to improved results.
“Thanks to AI, students can ask questions outside of class or at unconventional times without fear of judgment, which enhances their understanding.
“This trend really accelerated over the summer,” noted Sandra Leaton Gray, a professor of education futures at the University of London Institute of Education. “Students can discuss the marking criteria, upload their work, and run sample answers through the AI. They can even ask, ‘How can I enhance my answer?’ It’s like having an unending tutor.”
Some experts argue that as AI continues to evolve rapidly, a completely new exam format will be necessary to evaluate how effectively students are utilizing it. Dr. Thomas Lancaster, a computer scientist at Imperial College London specializing in generative AI and academic integrity, remarked, “This type of examination feels inevitable at this point.”
Lancaster cautioned that AI could facilitate new forms of cheating. “We need to enhance security measures in exams and provide more training to help identify banned devices,” he stated.
“Currently, communication devices can be as discreet as hidden earpieces, and AI-enabled smart glasses introduce even more hazards.”
Sir Ian Buckham, the chief regulator of the UK’s qualification authority, highlighted the risks AI poses to using extended writing assessments for evaluating student knowledge.
In a conversation with the Guardian, he expressed concerns about the qualifications associated with the expansion project, noting that students engaged in independent research could combine this with A-levels, which is equivalent to half of an A-level.
“I believe it holds significant importance, and universities have indicated they value it, too,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to take drastic actions, but I am concerned about how extensively AI will support students in this qualification.”
“Anyone advocating for a shift away from comprehensive testing systems that control AI usage will encounter a much more challenging situation.”
Rogoyski echoed these concerns, stating:
“Whether it’s AI or human, the exam format must change to emphasize assessing comprehension of the material. This could involve Vivas or discussions on the examined topics.”
He also cautioned that as students increasingly integrate technology into their daily lives, early indications of AI addiction are surfacing.
On the potential advantages of AI for the testing system, Jill Duffy, chairperson of the Qualifications Committee and CEO of OCR Awards, mentioned that the examination board is exploring ways in which AI could accelerate and enhance the quality of evaluations.
One possibility is that GCSE and A-level results may be delivered within a month instead of two. OCR is currently utilizing AI in its trials to convert handwritten responses into digital text, aiming to minimize delays due to illegible handwriting. If successful, this could mean that students receive university placements based on their qualifications, rather than predicted grades.
Duffy noted that increased use of Vivas and alternative forms of oral assessment are already prevalent in higher education. “If we see this happening there, could it start to be adopted in schools? It’s a possibility,” she said.
Lancaster concluded: “Overall, exams are here to stay in some form, but the nature of those exams may differ significantly from how they currently appear.”
IIf you’re in Cologne this week, get ready for Gamescom, the largest gaming event in the world, returning to the city, where countless hilarious nerds will gather. (I first attended in 2009—before that, it was hosted in Leipzig, a bustling city known for its famous absam bar. Maybe my memories are a little fuzzy). Over 300,000 attendees are anticipated to enjoy one another’s company while trying out upcoming games at the convention amidst the hustle and bustle of work commitments.
The event kicks off, as is now custom, with a Game Showcase (PDF), where publishers can afford to shell out hundreds of thousands of euros to feature their trailers in the official live stream. (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and a live performance of the famed music from The Big and Weird French Hit of the Year are included as well).
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 opened with a Big reveal: Keep an eye out for coverage from reporter Alyssa Mercante later this week. While PlayStation has been fairly quiet recently, the historic action game featuring The Ghost of Yotei from Sony and Soccer Punch made an appearance, and it definitely looks impressive. After Assassin’s Creed Shadows showcased feudal Japan’s charm earlier this year, it seems Samurai enthusiasts are in for a treat. Expect additional multiplayer content to follow in 2026.
On the other hand, Capcom’s Resident Evil Requiem has unveiled new demo footage. Players can follow its young protagonist, Grace, as she navigates her mother’s dark apartment filled with supernatural horrors. Attendees can also get a sneak peek at the forthcoming game from the creator of Black Myth: Wukong, a notable hit based on last year’s Chinese folklore, featuring a god riding giant, wild-looking tigers. This game is titled Black Myth: Zhong Kui.
For me, the most thrilling news was the new footage of Hollow Knight: Silkson, a mysterious sequel to one of my favorite games. I haven’t seen any updates on this title since 2022. It is still slated for release this year, and I’m envious of anyone lucky enough to try the demo on the show floor.
The Dark Knight is back… Lego Batman. Photo: TT Game
A Surprising Announcement
World of Tanks has been around for quite some time, yet still sounds as it did back in its early days. Honestly, I’m baffled today compared to the early 2010s when it skyrocketed in popularity across Europe and Russia, becoming one of the biggest games worldwide. The upcoming 2.0 update is set to be a highlight at the show, but developer Wargaming has a new title as well. It showcases a notable tank feature, Heat, a cartoonish take on the classic battlefields of World of Tanks, and it looks quite enjoyable.
Additionally, we got a glimpse of a new game by Longilbert (famous for Maniac Mansion, the real OGS), creator of Monkey Island. This is not a pixel-art adventure game like his previous titles, but rather Death by Scrolling, where you play as an archer trapped in purgatory, attempting to evade the relentless Grim Reaper. Think of it as clear vampire survivors Check this out.
Most delightfully, there’s a new Lego Batman game that looks incredibly fun. Titled LEGO Batman: The Legacy of the Dark Knight, it will take players through Bruce Wayne’s journey from his origin story to becoming Gotham’s hero, drawing inspiration from both Nolan’s films and beloved Arkham games.
Details on the plate…Midnight expansion of World of Warcraft. Photo: Blizzard
Reviving Classic Games
Some significant announcements have emerged from a seemingly endless flow of updates to existing titles. The renowned MMORPG World of Warcraft, which holds great popularity in Germany, is making its debut for the new Midnight expansion, which attendees can experience live on the show floor. Additionally, Blizzard is hosting developer panels for further insights. The adorably deceptive game Lamb Cult, centered around a resurrected lamb leading a devoted following while battling demonic heretics, is also adding a new chapter titled “Wool Heaven”. Check it out here.
“It’s really scary”… Silent Hill F. Photo: Konami
Latest Updates to Cult Classics
This year, we’re seeing a revival of beloved titles from decades past, particularly in the realm of top-selling gaming franchises. Ninja Gaiden 4Looks intense and challenging, especially for those familiar with the original from the Xbox era. In the same vein, Silent Hill f has also drawn attention recently, with our reporter Tom Regan reporting from Japan that It looks genuinely terrifying, featuring unsettling creatures in an eerie abandoned town setting. Meanwhile, it may not be officially linked, but the Bloober team’s new sci-fi horror title, Chronos: A New Dawn, looks like the spiritual successor to Dead Space we’ve all been waiting for.
Finally, while it may be a sequel to a 90s game, I’m still eagerly anticipating Vampire: Masquerade 2, a title that’s been under development for quite a while. Set to release on October 21st, the first-person vamp-fighting game has me feeling potentially excited.
There are several German journalists covering Gamescom on-site, so be sure to check in for updates. In the meantime, here is a very handy Steam event page showcasing games (or newly debuted trailers) available for play at the show. It’s an excellent way to keep track of what piques your interest for your wishlist.
What to Play
The mindset regarding herds… the herds. Photo: Steam
I just began playing Flock, where you guide various creatures from a dirty city back to their natural mountain habitat. The creatures are unusual, resembling fluffy mammoths with twisted horns and tiny eyes, bringing to mind elements of The Last Guardian. However, rather than solely guiding stubborn flying cat-like titans through crumbling ruins, you’ll manage a group of smaller creatures with varying behaviors, which can be a bit challenging. I must admit, the intense feeling of responsibility towards them has made me introspective about future outcomes. I previously engaged with similar emotionally charged indie games.
Available on: PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC Estimated Playtime: 4-6 hours
What to Read
“There aren’t many rappers who excel in video games, but 50 Cent was one of them.”…50 Cent: Bulletproof. Photo: Vivendi Universal Games
Thomas Hobbs is exploring the development of 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, the somewhat forgettable 2005 shooter featuring the rapper himself—curiously, the development team never even met him.
Sometimes, readers ask why we don’t cover smartphone games. The truth is, even with millions playing mobile games, interest in reading about them seems limited. Veteran gaming journalist Maddie Myers explores this intriguing contradiction in MobileGamer.
Someone recently struggled to recreate some wonderful tracks from the Netflix mega-hit Kpop Demon Hunters Animal Crossing (via Kotaku). I derive such joy from the effort put into this beautiful, whimsical creativity.
What to Click
Question Block
Without a doubt, this week is filled with reports from Gamescom, but if you have any inquiries about video games or our newsletters, feel free to drop a line at buttons@theguardian.com or send us an email. I welcome both serious and light-hearted questions equally.
In early August, just before the Major Black Ops 7 Preview event in Los Angeles, Mike Ibara, the former Blizzard president and current Microsoft executive, described the Call of Duty franchise as “lazy”. In a post on X, the experienced executive asserted that EA’s upcoming Battlefield 6 will “bootstomp” this year, pushing the team to “better FPS games.” Furthermore, Ian Proulx of Splitgate 2 echoed similar sentiments during a Gamefest presentation two months ago, reinforcing the perception of the franchise as a target of industry criticism regarding its endless sequels.
This isn’t the only criticism faced by the brand over its 20-year history. Despite selling millions with each new release (Black Ops 6 was the top-selling game of 2024), many players are frustrated with predatory monetization, an abundance of in-game bugs, and recent issues with creating content within the game.
One thing is clear amidst these criticisms: there’s a lot happening with Call of Duty Black Ops 7. Releasing this November, Treyarch’s latest installment features heart-pounding campaigns starring Hollywood actors like Milo Ventimiglia (This Is Us), Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy), and Keenan Shapka (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina). Players can enjoy up to four co-op modes and the return of the beloved twin-stick mini-game, Dead Ops Arcade. The new 20-player mode called Skirmish also promises a large dedicated map, wingsuits, and vehicles—just scratching the surface of what’s included.
The story intertwines Secret Wars, Psyops, and Tech Industry Paranoia… Black Ops 7. Photo: Activision
Following the success of last year’s Black Ops 6, Number 7 is somewhat of a spiritual successor to the beloved 2012 title, Black Ops II, featuring Ventimiglia as David Mason, the game’s resolute protagonist. Set in 2035, the game is packed with high-tech warfare, including a futuristic UI resembling augmented reality and a Boston Dynamics-style attack dog named DAWG. For the first time since Black Ops II, players can engage in the campaign with up to three friends.
Alongside the Black Ops narrative, the game incorporates themes of Secret Wars, Psyops, and Tech Industry Paranoia. The returning series villain, Raul Menendez, has engineered a new drug that induces hallucinations in its users. During a demo playthrough, the 405 highway in Los Angeles is depicted bending skyward like something out of a hot wheels truck, reminiscent of a moment from Batman: Arkham Knight. While players often speed through the campaign to reach multiplayer, the team has added an enticing new “endgame” feature, inspired possibly by MMORPGs. Completing the linear storyline grants access to a vast open-world map situated in the fictional city of Avalon, where players can utilize individualized abilities to unlock new loadouts and regularly updated tasks. “We’re redefining the campaign with Call of Duty,” states design director Kevin Drew.
Commuting to battles on the Wings… Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Photo: Activision
The new connected progression system allows players to earn XP by participating in the campaign, leveling up weapons, and advancing through the Battle Pass for the first time. “There’s been a lot of talk about connection,” mentions the production director. “It’s easy to jump into the campaign with friends. Solo, people might ask, ‘Why haven’t you played the Call of Duty Campaign yet?’ but playing with friends offers a whole different experience.”
Of course, quests in Black Ops 7 are designed to be bigger and bolder than their predecessors, including a Zombies mode that offers the largest round-based map ever created by the team. Inspired by the Tranzit Map from Black Ops II, the latest iteration of the Undead Shooting Fest diverges from more recent zombie installments where players often went solo. Now, teamwork is crucial as players use vehicles to engage hordes and face alternate versions of classic characters like Richtofen, Belinski, Masaki, and Dempsey.
Moreover, the team is reviving the much-loved Dead Ops Arcade—a classic twin-stick arcade shooter embedded within the zombies mode. It’s a passion project for the studio. “Dave King, our CTO, is incredibly passionate about it for various reasons,” shares Miller. “We have many team members who have been here for over a decade, contributing to the evolution of Dead Ops.”
As for the online experience, there are 16 multiplayer maps ready at launch, upgrading weaponry (including 16 all-new guns), and players can share their killer loadouts with friends—featuring the new Peacekeeper M1 Hybrid SMG/AR or a striking econ 12 shotgun. With the Omnimovement System from Black Ops 6, players can now wall jump and explore vertical battlescapes further. Among the new abilities, the Drone Chalmers option stands out, letting players deploy drones to track down enemies, harkening back to the attack dog in Call of Duty: World at War.
Is Black Ops 7 a response to those who’ve critiqued the series’ laziness? “I don’t consider it a double middle finger,” says Matt Sconce. “I come from the community. I’ve been part of it since previewing DLC for World at War back in 2007. Throughout my career, I’ve kept the players’ perspective in mind.”
While the annual Call of Duty release may not transform the industry or redefine the beloved genre, Black Ops 7’s inherent value cannot be overlooked. The evolving view on modern FPS will likely continue to resonate, irrespective of what Battlefield presents.
Arts, creative, and media organizations are urging the government to prohibit large tech companies from using Australian content and developing artificial intelligence models. There is growing concern that such a decision may “betray” Australian workers and facilitate the “widespread theft” of intellectual property.
The Albanese government has stated that it has no intention of altering copyright laws, but emphasizes that any changes must consider their effects on artists and news media. Opposition leader Sassan Ray has called for compensation for any use of copyrighted material.
“It is unacceptable for Big Tech to exploit the work of Australian artists, musicians, creators, and journalists without just compensation,” Ray asserted on Wednesday.
The Productivity Committee’s interim report titled “Utilizing Data and Digital Technology” proposes regulations for technologies, including AI in Australia, projecting a productivity increase of 0.5% to 13% over the next decade, thereby potentially adding $116 billion to the nation’s GDP.
The report highlighted that building AI models demands a substantial amount of data, prompting concerns from many players, including Creative Australia and copyright agencies, about the misuse of copyrighted content for AI training.
The committee outlined potential solutions, advocating for an expansion of licensing agreements, exemptions for “text and data mining,” and enhancements to existing fair trading regulations that are already in place in other countries.
This latter suggestion faced significant opposition from arts, creative, and media organizations. They expressed discontent at the idea of allowing wealthy tech companies to utilize their work for AI training without appropriate compensation.
Such a shift could jeopardize existing licensing agreements formed between publishers and creators with major tech firms and complicate negotiations for news media seeking fair compensation from social media platforms for journalism online.
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The Australian Labour Union Council (ACTU) criticized the Productivity Committee’s proposal, claiming it exploits the interests of large multimillion-dollar corporations, warning that it may mislead efforts to assist Australian workers.
“The extensive discussion surrounding text and data mining exemptions risks normalizing the theft of creative works from Australian artists and Indigenous communities,” said ACTU.
Joseph Mitchell, ACTU Secretary, indicated that such exemptions would allow “high-tech corporations to reap the full benefits of advanced technology without giving back to the creators.”
APRA Chair Jenny Morris is among those who have voiced concerns over potential exemptions for “text and data mining” used in AI training. Photo: AAP
Australia’s music rights organizations, Apra Amcos and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Bureau, expressed disappointment regarding the committee’s recommendations, raising alarms about the implications for Australia’s $9 billion music sector.
APRA Chair Jenny Morris stressed that this recommendation highlights a recognition that these practices are already widespread.
Attorney General Michelle Roland, responsible for copyright legislation, stated that any advancements in AI must prioritize building trust and confidence.
“Any reforms to Australia’s copyright law must reflect the effects on the nation’s creative and news sectors. We remain dedicated to participating in dialogues around these issues, particularly with the copyright and AI reference groups initiated by the government last year,” she mentioned.
When asked about the committee’s findings, Ray expressed concern regarding the absence of sufficient “guardrails” from the government to tackle AI-related issues.
“We need to safeguard content creators… their work rightfully belongs to them, and we must not take it without compensating them,” she added.
Ed Fushik, former Minister for Industry and Technology for Workers, defended the overall outlook for the economy on Wednesday. Treasurer Jim Chalmers later commented on ABC’s 7.30, saying, “The mechanism you deploy, whether one act or multiple existing acts… is not the crux of the issue.”
“I believe we can strike a balance between concerns that AI is harmful and those who pretend we can return to a previous state,” he indicated.
“There are no current plans to undermine or alter Australia’s copyright arrangements.”
Arts Minister Tony Burke highlighted a submission from Creative Australia regarding the review. He stated that, “It emphasizes the necessity for consent, transparency, and fair compensation concerning copyright and labeling.”
In a statement, Creative Australia asserted that the nation has the potential to lead globally in establishing “fair standards” for AI application.
“Artists and creatives whose work is utilized in training AI are entitled to proper compensation,” a spokesperson remarked.
“Innovation should not come at the cost of ethical business practices.”
The Australian Publishers Association (APA) has expressed worries about the possibility of works being utilized without authorization or compensation.
“While we support responsible innovation, this draft proposal favors infringers over investors,” stated Patrizia Di Biase-Dyson, CEO of APA.
“We oppose the idea that Australian narratives and educational materials integral to our culture and democracy should be treated as free resources for corporate AI systems.”
The copyright agency likewise spoke against the text and data mining exemption, emphasizing that it would adversely affect creators’ revenue.
“The movement towards revision of the Australian copyright system stems from large multinational corporations, and it does not serve the national interest,” remarked CEO Josephine Johnston. “To empower Australia’s high-quality content in the new AI era, it’s critical that creators receive fair compensation.”
Emerging from the darkness, slimy nails break through the murky barrier, reaching towards the light. Thunder rumbles as the ground cracks.
This is not a scene from a horror film featuring the undead rising from their graves. Rather, it showcases one of nature’s most endearing spectacles, Parent-child relationship: a forthcoming BBC series exploring the struggles of nurturing the next generation of wildlife, specifically the hatching of the magnificent Amazon River Turtle in Guapoi, South Brazil.
According to Sir David Attenborough’s narration, the tiny turtles await the perfect conditions to break free. When rain falls, it softens the sand enough for them to dig their way out. If there’s insufficient rain, the layer of sand above becomes too baked in the sun. They are numerous, making their survival seem effortless.
“There’s always that anxiety. You never know how it will turn out,” says series producer Elizabeth Orcham to BBC Science Focus. “As we sit with the crew, we hope everything works. The moment it rains or doesn’t rain, the tension rises. Is it too much rain?”
The rain arrived early during the filming, but the turtles managed to emerge just in time. “Seeing most of the turtles succeed and not lose too many is really comforting. It’s just wonderful.”
Despite the challenges posed by the weather, two million turtles hatched successfully, overcoming what seemed like insurmountable odds.
“Sometimes, it’s a wonder how they survive. It’s fascinating to see just how clumsy they can be,” she notes.
This clumsiness, however, is part of a finely tuned process. Scientists have been investigating communication among these turtles for over a decade. A 2014 study found that mothers likely communicate with their hatchlings to guide them into the water. According to Oakham, this is the only turtle species known to exhibit parental care post-hatching.
The female giant Amazon River turtle (Podocnemis Exagna), also known as the Arrau turtle, grows to a remarkable 76cm (30 inches) in shell length and weighs up to 91kg (200 pounds), while the male measures at 48cm (19 inches). The hatchlings are merely 5cm (2 inches) long. – Photo credit: Getty
“We were thrilled to showcase this new research on turtle communication,” Oakham explains. The filmmakers even accessed the nest to record the hatchlings’ emergence.
Childcare challenges
Climate change poses the greatest threat to the otherwise stable lifecycle of the giant Amazon River turtle.
“Warmer air due to climate change retains more moisture, leading to two outcomes,” she elaborates. “Firstly, it makes the environment drier, but when it finally rains, the moisture simply drips off.”
Severe floods that once occurred every 20 years have now happened twice in the last five years, jeopardizing the hatching process during critical seasons.
Before hatching, the turtles must absorb some of their yolk sac. If they haven’t done so before floods arrive, they will not survive. Thus, when mother turtles lay eggs, they risk a significant gamble regarding the weather – a gamble that is increasingly hard to predict.
They typically lay their eggs two to three months before the rainy season, allowing the sand to solidify and form a protective layer. At this time, the mothers leave the river for the sandbanks, coinciding with the largest congregation of freshwater turtles on the planet, and one of the few instances the species ventures onto land.
“Water can be life-sustaining but also perilous,” Oakham states. “With climate change, this duality has become even more pronounced, making the environment more unpredictable for these parents. Navigating this uncertainty while caring for their young is a delicate balance.”
This episode is the fourth in a five-part series on parental life in freshwater habitats, Parent-child relationship. All five episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer from August 3, 2025.
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About our experts
Elizabeth Orcum is a producer and director with a deep commitment to environmental storytelling and natural history. She is widely recognized for her work on the fifth episode of Green Planet, titled “The Human World,” which delivers a compelling narrative on the interconnectedness of plants and humans. She is now eager to share the stories of animal parents worldwide through the BBC series Parent-child relationship.
Carbon dioxide monitoring at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii may be discontinued due to US budget cuts
noaa
Scientists from various countries are urged to prepare for the potential takeover of the major carbon dioxide monitoring services currently operated by the US, according to climate experts.
The monitoring efforts could be terminated next year if budget cuts proceed, leading to the loss of vital data. “At this moment, no one is stepping forward to say, ‘We can take that responsibility,'” states Pierre Friedlingstein from the University of Exeter, UK. “It’s imperative that we do.”
Friedlingstein leads the Global Carbon Budget, an international initiative focused on accurately assessing carbon emissions and absorption by land and oceans, which is essential for understanding global temperature trends.
This work heavily relies on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), whose budget cuts are proposed by the Trump administration. A 2026 budget document suggests eliminating funding for climate and weather research and decreasing the workforce by over 2,000 employees. Furthermore, it plans to close labs, including the Mauna Loa Observatory, a key CO₂ monitoring site.
“NOAA GML [Global Monitoring Laboratory] is essential for the Greenhouse Gas Program, which supports multiple functions,” says Ralph Keeling from the California Institute of Oceanography.
NOAA directly measures gas levels, including CO2, at various sites and aids in monitoring at additional locations worldwide. According to Friedlingstein, this includes calibrating measurements with samples sent from different areas.
The agency compiles and evaluates global data, leveraging subtle variations in CO2 levels across locations, combined with knowledge of atmospheric circulation, to trace CO2 flows accurately.
“NOAA provides critical baseline data,” Keeling noted. “If NOAA’s efforts cease, our ability to monitor CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions globally will diminish.”
“All of these responsibilities must be assumed by other organizations,” Friedlingstein observes.
However, exchanging the loss of monitoring sites and NOAA records for new data poses challenges. “This is where maintaining long-term consistency becomes crucial,” Keeling explains. “It can’t simply switch from one data set to another; this would compromise the reliability of trend analysis.”
There is particular concern regarding ongoing monitoring at Mauna Loa, which has been conducted since 1957, providing the longest continuous CO₂ record from a single location. NOAA supports the Scripps-led monitoring efforts.
“Without NOAA’s involvement, continuing nearby measurements becomes challenging, although not impossible,” Keeling states.
He also expresses worry about Scripps-led monitoring in Antarctica, which currently depends on NOAA personnel from the US Bureau. The site’s funding, sourced from the National Science Foundation, is also at risk.
“Antarctica represents the most significant long-term station in the Southern Hemisphere. Establishing a reliable long-term global average is just as critical as the Mauna Loa data, particularly for tracking variations between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres through large-scale carbon flows,” says Keeling.
CO₂ levels can also be monitored using certain satellites, which, according to Friedlingstein, measure CO₂ not just at the surface but throughout the entire atmospheric column up to the satellite.
When asked whether there’s a plan to substitute NOAA’s functions, the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service New Scientist reached out to the European Commission’s Defense Industry and Space Administration (DEFIS). DEFIS did not reply before the deadline for this article.
The media landscape is experiencing a significant transformation, with numerous traditional publications fading away, while various YouTube channels assert their influence rivals that of conventional television networks.
A former newspaper editor and current presenter, engaged in fundraising efforts to expand his YouTube venture, anticipates that more prominent media figures will migrate to this increasingly impactful streaming platform as viewer preferences continue to evolve.
“It’s similar to the shift from vinyl to digital music,” he noted. “People believed it would take ages, but the change happened swiftly.”
“In the UK, specific newspapers are disappearing. Which will still have a print edition in a decade? Observing younger demographics shows that those under 45 rarely purchase print newspapers.”
Morgan holds the rights to his YouTube channel, *Piers Morgan Uncensored*, having acquired them from the Rupert Murdoch empire after his previous agreements with News UK, which totaled £50 million over three years, ended. Now over 60, he acknowledges that his transition is a “learning curve,” yet he champions YouTube for its flexibility and low cost.
He emphasized that his decision to fully embrace the streaming service was influenced by his four children. “All of them are watching YouTube,” he remarked. “I rarely watch traditional TV, aside from live sports. Until last year, I was part of the outdated, structured 8PM live news format.”
While Morgan is known for his sharp commentary, his shift to YouTube reflects a broader trend where media personalities, especially within the U.S. conservative landscape, amass millions of subscribers. Morgan aims to replicate the success of DailyWire, a conservative American media outlet co-founded by commentator Ben Shapiro, which includes Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson.
YouTube wields significant influence in the media sphere, with various content originating from networks like ITV and Channel 4. Podcasters continue to enhance their presence, contributing considerable financial strength. In just the first quarter of 2025, YouTube’s ad revenue exceeded $8.9 billion (£6.644 billion), marking a growth of over 10% from the previous year. Meanwhile, Channel 4’s total revenue for all of 2023 hovered around £1 billion, a figure available for the most recent year.
Morgan cited last year’s U.S. election, mentioning that YouTube reported over 45 million views on election-related content on Election Day. In contrast, 42.3 million viewers tuned into 18 cable and broadcast networks that night. Although the figures aren’t directly comparable, Morgan stated:
“Prominent journalists have reached out to me, inquiring about a shift to my platform. I believe legacy media companies need to analyze why individuals like myself are venturing out into this realm,” he said. “More will be inspired to follow my lead, and I’m receiving intriguing inquiries from journalists.”
Morgan plans to emulate Gary Lineker’s Goalhanger Productions, which has produced successful podcasts in the UK. He envisions creating channels under uncensored brands that cover various genres, including true crime, history, and sports, with a direct focus on the U.S. and global audiences rather than just the UK.
“Look at what Gary Lineker achieved; he’s a close friend and with Goalhanger in the UK, he’s the first to credit his success. [podcast for Goalhanger] In terms of revenue, it’s substantial in America, but that’s just the beginning,” he stated. “It’s not solely about football; it’s about history. They travel to America and stage large live shows, which is massively successful there.”
“I seldom cover British news. We didn’t even discuss the final election results because my scope is broader: ‘Is this of interest to viewers in the Middle East? What about in Australia?’
Morgan shared his vision of decreasing reliance on his brand, aspiring to build something sustainable and independent. Though he considers it an “early era,” he is optimistic about attracting investors, as his venture is already profitable.
“We don’t require funding,” he stated. “With nearly 4 million subscribers, my inquiry to investors isn’t, ‘Just give me your money.’ It’s ‘What value do you bring to the table?’ ”
Constituity, the ability to combine meaningful elements into larger meaningful structures, is a characteristic of human language. Constitutiveness is trivial (the meaning of a combination is the sum of the meaning of that part) or non-trivial (one element changes the meaning of another element). In a new study, scientists studied the behavior of voices Wild bonobo (Pampaniscus) – Our closest living relatives – Kokoropoli Community Reserve The Democratic Republic of the Congo has found robust empirical evidence for the existence of non-trivial constitutive properties in these primates.
Tupac, a young male bonobo scratching his head. Image credits: Lukas Bierhoff, Kokolopori Bonobo Research Project.
A distinctive feature of human language is its ability to combine individual elements to form more complex and meaningful structures.
This principle known as constituency allows morphemes to be constructed into words and sentences.
The overall meaning is determined by its components and their arrangement.
Constitutiveness can take two forms: trivial and non-trivial. In trivial composition, each word maintains an independent meaning.
Non-trivial constituency involves more complex and nuanced relationships where meaning is not merely a direct sum of words that involve.
Constituity may not be inherent to human language. Birds and primate studies have demonstrated that some animals can combine meaningful vocalizations with structures of trivial composition.
However, to date, there is no direct evidence that animals use non-trivial compositionality in their communication.
In their new study, Melissa Bursett, a biologist at the University of Zurich, and her colleagues, discovered strong empirical evidence that wild bonobos use non-trivial constitutiveness in their vocal communications.
The authors analyzed 700 recordings and call combinations of bonobo vocal calls and documented over 300 contextual features associated with each utterance
A linguistic framework that measures the similarity of meaning between words using methods derived from distribution semantics, and these contextual features were analyzed to infer the meaning of individual bonobo vocalizations and quantify the relationships.
Next, to assess whether Bonobo Call combinations follow construct principles, they applied a multi-step approach that had previously been used to identify the constitutive nature of human communication.
They found that the bonobo call types are integrated into four constituent structures. Three of these suggest that they share more structural similarities with human language than previously recognized.
“Our approach allowed us to quantify how the meaning of the combination of single-call and call on bonobos relate to one another,” said Simon Townsend, professor at the University of Zurich.
“Humans and bonobos had a common ancestor about 70-13 million years ago, so they share many characteristics through descent, and constitutiveness seems likely to be one of them,” added Martin Sarbeck, a professor at Harvard University.
“So our research suggests that our ancestors already use compositionality extensively, if not more, at least 7 million years ago,” Professor Townsend said.
The first researchers in science created mice that exhibit properties similar to extinct woolly mammoths.
Colossal Biosciences, an American Biotechnology Company, utilized CRISPR genome editing technology to develop the “Colossal Woolly Mouse.”
These mice are not miniature mammoths but have DNA designed to express mammoth-like properties, making them well-suited for cold environments.
An unpublished study published on Biorxiv explains how researchers modified seven mouse genes to give them a woolly coat.
This marks the first instance of a “living model” of animals with mammoth-like attributes.
Two “woolly mice” created by scientists
“Observing these mice is akin to peering into the past through a specialized lens,” said Dr. Louise Johnson, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Reading not involved in the study. “This technology provides an exciting avenue to test our theories about extinct organisms.”
She added, “Researchers successfully adjusted the mouse genome towards the mammoth genome for the first time.”
Through extensive computer analysis, researchers studied mammoth and African elephant genomes from 1.2 million years ago, modifying mouse genes related to hair growth and cold tolerance to create the final edited seven-gene combination. However, these mice do not possess an exact replica of mammoth genes, leading researchers to doubt the genes responsible for mammoth properties.
The Significance of this Discovery
According to Colossal Biosciences, this development is a groundbreaking step in addressing extinction. The company aims to reintroduce other extinct species with the goal of rebuilding ecosystems to maintain Earth’s balance. Founder Ben Lam envisions reviving species like dodos, giant ice age bears, and extinct Tasmanian marsupials known as thylacines.
Not all scientists are convinced of the immediate impact of this discovery.
While genetic manipulation has been used to create various models, including humans and extinct species, some remain skeptical. Professor Dusko Ilic, a stem cell science professor at King’s College London, acknowledges the milestone but warns of potential risks and ethical implications of such experiments.
While comparing mammoth and elephant genomes offers insights into adaptation and genetic traits, transforming mice into mammoth-like creatures may not directly translate to creating woolly elephants adapted for Arctic environments.
Many scientists doubt the feasibility of replicating mammoths through genetic manipulation alone without a complete understanding of their genetic makeup.
sO Microsoft It's decided An internet telephony company purchased it for $8.5 billion (£6.6 billion) in 2011 to end Skype. Millions of unfortunate users flock to the Microsoft Team, a virtual camp with a brain-dead aesthetic that even Zoom looks cool. This unforeseen situation has been telegraphed for quite some time, but even so, Skype is an astounding venture, and its ending mise is brought as a shock as it closes an interesting chain chapter in technological history.
The Internet has been around for a long time than most people notice. It dates back to the 1960s and back to the creation of Alpanet, a military computer network that emerged after the US had the “Sputnik moment.” It's a terrible perception that the Soviet Union appears to be moving forward with technology interests. The Internet design used today, the successor to Arpanet, began in the early 1970s and was first switched in January 1983.
From the start, the network designers decided to avoid limitations on previous communication systems, particularly voice-optimized analog telephone networks. This was owned by companies that were hopeless about digital signals and resisted innovation that they themselves had not been generating. Therefore, new networks have no owners or are not optimized for a particular medium, making them more tolerant than previous networks. Anyone can access it and create a service run as long as the computer meets the network's protocols.
As a result, we are an explosion of creativity that we live together today. What the Internet designers built was what scholars later called “an architecture for unauthorized innovation.” Or, in another way, global Platform for gushing surprises.
Created by Tim Berners-Lee in the late 1980s, the World Wide Web was one of those surprises. However, there was also something called VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). Speeches can be digitized (one and zero) and placed in data packets that can be sent over the Internet. And after reaching the destination it was converted to audio. Results: Free telephony anywhere in the world!
Skype was the first company to bring this magic to ordinary consumers. Founded in 2003 by Janus Friis (A Dane) and Niklas Zennström (Swedish) and headquartered in Luxembourg. However, the software that was equipped with it was written by three Estonians who also wrote peer-to-peer file sharing software. In 2005, eBay bought it for $2.6 billion (£2 billion). By 2006 there were 100 million registered users, and by 2009 it had added about 380,000 new users every day, generating approximately $740 million (£575 million) in annual revenue. So, Skype was the first European company to reach US-level size.
At that point, something inevitable happened: in 2011 Skype was purchased by Microsoft and absorbed by Tech Colossus' Maw. Many observers, including this columnist, wondered what Microsoft thought was doing with the new toy. Last week's news suggests that the company never understood it. Either way, after the pandemic arrived in 2020 and people started working from home, it was clear that Microsoft needed to have something to drive away the threat posed by Zoom. Skype may have probably become the core of that response, but instead the decision was made to place all the energy to make the team a Behemoth answer to remote working. Since then, Skype has been surplus to the requirements and dies have been cast.
But before it disappears, it is worth remembering that it was on the scene 20 years ago. Today, most people don't know how close telephony is, in the analog era, is, closed and depressing. It was an industry run by either a complacent, unresponsive, dominant monopoly (USA AT&T) or governmental institutions (UK GPOs). It may take several months to install a phone in your home. The phones were expensive and international calls were actively prohibited.
I grew up in the country (Ireland) with a huge diaspora at a time when calls from the US only meant one family death. If immigrants were in touch with people returning home, it was just letters and perhaps a strange parcel. It's not a phone call. In rural Ireland, their families will occasionally wake up the night before their sons and daughters leave for America or Australia.
And now? The VoIP technology that Skype brings to people's lives is commoditized. Social media platforms like WhatsApp and Signal offer unlimited and free audio (and video) connections with friends, family and colleagues around the world. Calls that were once bankrupt are made every day. Microsoft may not have thought that Skype would ultimately help. But the rest of us certainly did.
What I've read
3 Market Economy Dave Karpf's A sharp essay Identify the three types of money behind the power of Silicon Valley.
I will take home sovereignty an An insightful editorial in Norma Why the current and the 47th President is acting like the 25th by Nathan Gardells.
A story of battle David Allen Green is in the offshore earthquake control collision Foresightful analysis in Financial Times.
CCenter staff at some of the world's biggest tech companies, including Apple, Google, Microsoft and Netflix, have all accused the employer of retaliating against union organizers, constantly monitoring staff and denying them even bathroom breaks.
In the United States or Europe, if you're looking for technical or customer support from a major technology company, you might end up talking to an employee at Tele Performance's call center in Greece.
Teleperformance, the world's largest call center operator, Approximately 12,000 workers Based in Greece, we serve over 140 markets around the world in 43 different languages and dialects. The company is 7 multilingual hubs In Greece, it takes place in Athens, Chania and Thessaloniki.
Workers in Greece who have been seeking a collective agreement with Teleperformance say that the company has recently retaliated Targeted firings of union leaders, etc.
they say wages have increased unchanged Since 2010, Greece has been hit by creditor austerity measures despite high inflation and rising costs of living in recent years.
Mr. Nikos Spilleris, a call center worker at Teleperformance, Setep, The union representing teleperformance workers in Greece explained that its efforts began in early 2024 in response to years of no wage increases and increased production pressures placed on workers.
Setep Teleperformance call center employees go on strike in Greece. Photo: SETEP/Courtesy of SETEP
“They judge you on dozens of productivity metrics, and depending on the project, you have to be on the phone multiple times. Not being allowed to go to the bathroom even if you want to. is common,” Spilleris said. “If an employee is sick or absent for any reason, that is considered counterproductive and is grounds for renewing or not renewing the employee’s contract.”
MPs in a parliamentary inquiry into the UK riots and the proliferation of false and harmful AI content are set to call on Elon Musk to testify about X’s role in spreading disinformation, as reported by The Guardian.
Additionally, senior executives from Meta and TikTok, the companies behind Facebook and Instagram, are expected to be summoned for questioning as part of the Commons Science and Technology Select Committee’s social media inquiry.
The first public hearing is scheduled for the new year, amidst concerns that current online safety laws in Britain are at risk of being outpaced by advancing technology and the politicization of platforms like X.
Images shared on Facebook and X were reportedly used to incite Islamophobic protests following the tragic deaths of three schoolgirls in Southport in August. The inquiry aims to investigate the impact of generative AI and examine Silicon Valley’s business models that facilitate the spread of misleading and potentially harmful content.
The Chairman of the Labour Party Select Committee, Chi Onwura, expressed interest in questioning Musk about his stance on freedom of expression and disinformation. Musk, the owner of X, has been critical of the UK government and was not invited to an international investment summit in September.
Former Labour Secretary Peter Mandelson has called for an end to Musk’s feud with the British government, emphasizing the importance of not overlooking Musk’s influence in the technological and commercial space.
Despite speculation, it remains uncertain whether Musk will testify in the UK, as he is reportedly gearing up for a senior role in President Trump’s White House. Amidst these developments, millions of X users are said to have migrated to a new platform called Bluesky, raising concerns about misinformation and the presence of previously banned users.
The investigation also aims to explore the connection between social media algorithms, generative AI, and the dissemination of false or harmful content. Additionally, the use of AI to complement search engines, such as Google, will be scrutinized in light of recent instances of false and racist claims propagated on online platforms.
In response to the spread of misinformation and incitement after the Southport killings, Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, has highlighted the need for social media companies to address activity that incites violence or promotes false behavior. New rules under the Online Safety Act will require companies to take action to prevent the spread of illegal content and minimize security risks.
LJust guessing, did you recently purchase Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, wander into the multiplayer mode, and find yourself being brutally beaten by hundreds of teenagers with suggestive usernames? Don’t worry. That’s completely normal. Call of Duty has always been an arcade twitchfest of the online shooting scene, but Black Ops 6 has a whole new feel thanks to its omni-movement system that lets you dive, roll, and sprint in all directions. And all weapons have been completely redesigned. As Olivia Rodrigo said, it’s cruel.
So I asked two talented professional players, Ethan “Fifakill” Pink and Liam “Jukeyz” James, for some tips. Instead of laughing and pointing at me, they agreed.
use the correct gun
If you’re new to CoD, stick with assault rifles or submachine guns [SMGs] – These are suitable for Black Ops 6’s small maps and intense engagement speed. “My favorite assault rifle” [AR] Probably Model L, but very good experts agreed not to use it, so we moved to AMES,” Jukeyz says. “The SMG is either the Jackal, which is fun to use, or the KSV, which is more difficult but way too powerful.”
Fifakill, on the other hand, recommends Kompakt 92. However, if you are a mid-range player, I think the Model L Assault Rifle is a very good option. It takes time to unlock, but it’s worth the effort – Super TTK [time to kill] and very low recoil.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Photo: Activision
Become a gunsmith
The Gunsmith is where you can make modifications to your weapons, which are essential to gaining an advantage in combat. “For the majority of players, it’s best to start by reducing recoil,” Fifakill says. “Focus on attachments that reduce load” horizontal Recoil – If your gun bounces up and down, it’s pretty easy to fix. But left and right makes it more difficult when you’re trying to track enemy players.”
Jukeyz prioritizes aim-down aiming speed (how quickly you can move the gun into the aiming position), but also suggests installing a vertical foregrip to counter recoil. “I also recommend Gunfighter Wildcard,” Fifakir added. “With eight attachments per gun, you get it all: better movement, bigger magazines, less recoil.”
Elon Musk made a surprise appearance on a phone call between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, during which he was appointed as Ukraine’s most influential private citizen in January as Tesla’s CEO. The role was confirmed.
Musk was reportedly on the call with Trump for approximately 25 minutes. Axios first reported the call. Trump handed the phone to Musk, and Musk briefly spoke with Zelenskiy. Zelenskiy thanked Musk for providing satellites to Ukraine through Starlink, as reported by AFP. Musk mentioned he would continue providing satellite internet connectivity.
Although Musk supported Trump’s campaign, his stance on issues related to Russia’s conflict with Ukraine has been mixed. Initially, Musk offered Ukraine free internet access through Starlink satellites, but later received funding from various organizations, including the U.S. government.
Zelenskiy’s call with Trump provided reassurance for the Ukrainian president. Trump assured Zelenskiy of continued support without going into specifics. Zelenskiy praised Trump and his team for their successful campaign in a statement.
Musk’s actions towards aiding Ukraine have been ambiguous at times. Following an emergency request from Ukraine to launch a satellite over Crimea, Musk refused, stating he wanted to avoid escalating conflict and war through Starlink’s parent company, SpaceX.
In a tweet, Musk presented a peace plan that some experts deemed pro-Kremlin. Zelenskiy responded by polling followers on whether they preferred Russia or Musk, who has been supportive of Ukraine.
Recent reports from the Wall Street Journal indicate Musk has been in communication with Vladimir Putin since 2022. The content of their discussions remains unknown, but Starlink was reportedly discussed in one instance, with Putin requesting Musk not activate Starlink over Taiwan as a favor to Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Musk responded to a post on I can’t.
I had a great call with the president. @realDonaldTrump and congratulated him on his historic landslide victory. His incredible campaign made this result possible. I praised his family and team for their great work.
We agreed to maintain close dialogue and advance our bilateral relations.
— Volodymyr Zelensky / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 6, 2024
MaMicrosoft didn’t skimp on its Xbox showcase this year. After a string of layoffs and studio closures, the company tried to give gamers what they wanted at its Summer Game Fest on Sunday night, culminating with a 40-minute preview of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, a massive 300GB download. Continuous online access Even in single-player mode, the textures are streamed from a remote server due to the large amount of textures. As expected, the Xbox version will be available on GamePass from day one, but will not be platform exclusive. The PlayStation version will also be released on the same day, i.e. October 25th.
The game itself is set during the geopolitical turmoil of the early 1990s, including the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Gulf War, and the transition of the US presidency from George Bush to Bill Clinton. As always, the campaign story is an airport-fiction spy thriller, dealing with undeniable CIA operations, covert power struggles, and conspiracies that reach all the way to the very top. Series regular Frank Woods is severely injured and retired from active duty, and is replaced by Troy Marshall, a feckless special forces leader, and Jane Harrow, a shrewd CIA handler. When a mission goes wrong, they are forced to mutiny, recruiting a ragtag team of tech nerds and charming assassins. your Your ass is in danger, sir.
Like most recent Call of Duty titles, Black Ops 6 promises a bit of variety in the way you tackle its campaign missions. Most set pieces, whether they’re set in the glitzy casinos of southern Europe or the tundra of northern Russia, allow for guns blazing attacks or stealth approaches. There are also sequences where players can converse with NPCs to open up new possibilities, such as bribing a senator to grant access to forbidden areas. Familiar faces from the era will make an appearance, including Saddam Hussein, George Bush and Margaret Thatcher, and thankfully Activision has confirmed that at least the latter will be making an appearance. Not a playable option.
Call of Duty titles are typically developed in a quick two years, but with this game, co-developers Treyarch and Raven had double that time. “We had the opportunity to redefine what a Black Ops game is,” says associate design director Matt Scronce. “Every decision we made along the way allowed us to be very deliberate. Previously, each game built on the previous one, but with this game, we really built from the ground up and redefined Black Ops.”
One of the biggest changes to gamefeel is a new system called Omnidirection, which lets players sprint and slide in any direction. “Movement fluidity was a big thing we talked about a lot,” says Yale Miller, Senior Production Director at Treyarch. “That led to a desire to see what we could do.”
One story… Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Photo: Microsoft
Scrance further explains, “Initially, we tried a 'jug', a quick side step. But when we thought about movement in Black Ops 6, it was all about keeping the player in the flow. It's about fluidity and fidelity, and something like a jug just didn't cut it. So we went back to the drawing board. For over 20 years, Call of Duty has only allowed you to sprint forward. So we looked to the best athletes in the real world: NFL players, NBA players, tennis players — players who can move quickly in all directions.”
Players can now sprint, dive, and slide with 360-degree movement, enabling a wider variety of evasive maneuvers. They can even roll onto their back and under cover, or recreate a classic move from Hong Kong action movies of the time: sliding backwards while shooting forward. Naturally, this system required thousands of new animation frames and motion capture, which wouldn’t have been possible without additional development time.
According to the team, accessibility has also been a key factor. A new intelligent movement system has been introduced, adding crouch, sprint and mantle assist that can be toggled on/off. Players can choose to fully automate jumping over walls and sliding under low obstacles. This was inspired by a variety of games. “We looked at the Forza series with traction control, anti-lock and turn assist,” Scronce said. “Also, mobile games are a good example of this, where you don’t have physical buttons. So what do they do?” The HUD is now also customizable, allowing players to move around on-screen information such as the minimap. This is a feature created with Call of Duty streamers in mind. They often want to add their own camera view in the game and have a hard time deciding where to place it without obscuring important information.
Key multiplayer components have been heavily tweaked, undoing some recent changes. There are 16 new maps, most of which feature the traditional three-lane design, while the Prestige system, which allows seasoned veteran players to show off their prowess with exclusive outfits, accessories, and classified weapons, has returned to the style of previous Black Ops games. Treyarch is also promising a vast arsenal of firearms from the era, with dozens of attachments.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – Capitol Station. Photo: Microsoft
Meanwhile, the regular Call of Duty zombies mode is returning to its roots, which Treyarch first introduced with World at War back in 2008. While the most recent Modern Warfare title introduced a new type of open-world zombie game, Black Ops 6 returns to the older round-based structure, where players work together to survive wave after wave of the undead while unlocking new weapons and exploring confined environments.
The Call of Duty monster truck continues to roll, accompanied by concerns about the appropriation of recent historical events, the glorification of U.S. foreign policy, and an enthusiasm for military-grade weaponry. But like the best blockbuster war movies, the game has its charms, and Black Ops 6 seems to bring some interesting additions to the series’ atmosphere. Which may point to the benefits of giving the studio a bit more time. Scrance said: “Overall, the extra time allowed us to pay more attention to detail and really push the character fidelity, movement, animations, audio, multiplayer maps, and so on, to a point where we can all say this is the best we’ve ever made.”
debtFor nearly 15 years, I used to fly to Los Angeles every June to cover E3, the massive video game conference where major games and consoles were unveiled for the first time, from PlayStation to Wii U, from Fallout 4 to Final Fantasy VII Remake. However, due to the pandemic, E3 was canceled this year and replaced by a series of loosely connected events: Summer Game Fest, organized by The Game Awards’ Jeff Keighley, the Xbox Game Showcase, and the indie-led event Day of the Devs. It all kicks off tomorrow, June 6th.
Publishers like Ubisoft and Devolver are hosting their own broadcasts, while other E3 regulars like EA and Square-Enix are absent. Live Show From leading games and entertainment website IGN – I worked there during the height of E3 in the early 2010s, when companies would rent studios and broadcast basically all of their announcements over four consecutive days. What’s basically happened is that it seems like we still get as much gaming news as we get at E3, but now it’s much more spread out and crammed into one weekend instead of a week-long conference.
In short, it’s all a bit chaotic right now, but I’m on a plane to Los Angeles just like the old days, so I’ll do my best to play and cover as many interesting games as I can. If you’re looking to follow events other than E3 over the weekend, here are five things to keep an eye on (and where to watch them).
It’s a two-hour live showcase hosted by Keighley from LA’s YouTube Theatre. Based on my previous experience with both SGF and the Game Awards, it’s going to be a series of blockbuster trailers interspersed with very tepid, very rehearsed conversations with developers. It’ll be an endurance test, but with all the big names in the video game industry in attendance, including Capcom, 2K Games, and PlayStation, there should be at least two major game announcements and it should be worth watching. Straight afterwards, for those staying up late in the UK, the Day of the Devs indie showcase (4pm PST/midnight BST) and Devolver Direct broadcast (5pm PST/1am BST) will showcase the satire and independent spirit of the games industry, dispelling any corporate chic.
If you’re looking for a cozy gaming vibe, this is the place. Farming simulators, dating games, anything with cats and frogs. I get a lot of emails from Pushing Buttons readers asking where to find non-violent, approachable games, and this is the place. In past years, this showcase has proven to be long-lasting enough to get cloyingly cute, and with over 70 games on display, it’s quite possible that will be the case in 2024 as well, but the wholesome intention behind it makes up for it for me.
Looks promising… Star Wars Outlaws. Photo: Ubisoft
Xbox Games Showcase – Sunday, June 9th9am PST / 5pm BST
I’m very interested to see how the rather embattled Xbox division will fare this year, having pushed through the Activision/Blizzard/King mega-merger last year and then made the very unpopular decision to close down some of their studios. With a new version of Xbox on the horizon, the Game Pass strategy seems to be shifting, and Microsoft now owning a lot of developers, should There’s no shortage of games to premiere, with the sequel to the Call of Duty Black Ops series (above), due to launch this year, also premiering shortly thereafter.
PC releases tend not to get as much attention in the games media as console releases, so this will be a most exciting showcase for a readership that loves real-time strategy, 4x, Moba, team-based FPS games, CRPGs, and other genre acronyms that accompany PC-exclusive games. Organized by venerable magazine PC Gamer, the event is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
Ubisoft Forward – Monday, June 1012pm PST / 8pm BST
Ubisoft’s lineup this year is promising, with the new Assassin’s Creed game set in feudal Japan and the promising Star Wars Outlaws alone being enough to keep me entertained for an hour, but I Mario vs Rabbids Kingdom Battle 2017 Edition Shigeru Miyamoto made an appearance, Rabbids creative director Davide Soliani got emotional, and it wouldn’t be E3 without a slightly embarrassing “Just Dance” performance.
What to Play
One of the best… Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Photo: FromSoftware
I have two long-distance flights coming up, so it’s time to get serious. Elden Ring On Steam – Fortunately, the best game of 2022 (and in fact one of the best fantasy games of all time) runs great on a portable PC console. Shadow of the Elder TreeThe expansion is out on June 20th and is small enough to be considered a mini-sequel. The good news for those of you who haven’t finished Elden Ring yet, like me, is that you don’t have to finish the game to the end before the expansion comes out, but you’ll still get to enjoy the brutal yet exhilarating rhythm of the combat (and Substantial We’ll be looking back at the game’s history before taking on a new challenge later this month.
Available on: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Estimated play time: 60+ hours (expansion will take at least another 15-20 hours)
Now on TV… Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Photo: SEGA
Amazon Prime Unexpectedly Live-action television series It’s based on the fantastic cult-favorite crime drama game, Like a Dragon (pictured above).
Sony’s State of Play showcase last week technically kicked off a summer of gaming-related announcements. Gamesradar There is an overview Highlights from the trailer Astro Botstarring an adorable little white robot who serves as PlayStation’s best mascot, is a playful mix of platforming, puzzles, and action that’s great fun.
In news that’s too depressing for me to even think about, IKEA plans to pay its employees the minimum wage. Virtual Roblox Store You wanted the metaverse? Here’s the metaverse. Working at IKEA for minimum wage. But now. Not real.
Actor and developer Abubakar Salim recently released his debut game, Tales of Kenzera: Zau, with his studio Surgent. made a statement He talks about the targeted racist harassment he and his team suffered, part of a resurgence of the anti-woke culture wars that have resurfaced this year in the games industry and beyond. “There’s always going to be a reason why diverse stories can’t exist. These exclusionary rules keep piling up, and the goalposts keep shifting, until I, my studio, and people like us just sit back, shut up, and accept the fact that we’re outsiders. And I won’t,” he says.
More than 200 prominent musicians have joined in signing an open letter to advocate for protections against the predatory use of artificial intelligence to mimic human artists’ likeness, voice, and sound. The signatories come from various musical genres and eras, including popular stars like Billie Eilish, J Balvin, and Nicki Minaj, as well as icons like Stevie Wonder and REM from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The estates of Frank Sinatra and Bob Marley have also signed the letter.
The letter was published by Artist Rights Alliance. Advocacy groups have urged technology companies to commit to not developing AI tools that undermine or replace human songwriters and artists.
The letter emphasizes the need to protect human creativity from being exploited by AI, stating, “We need to stop the predation of AI to steal the voices and likenesses of professional artists, violate the rights of creators, and disrupt the music ecosystem.”
While the letter does not advocate for a complete ban on AI in music and production, it acknowledges that responsible use of the technology can benefit the industry. Music producers have been utilizing AI tools in various ways, including isolating vocals from old demo tracks, as seen in a project creating a new Beatles song from John Lennon’s vocals.
The Artist Rights Alliance’s letter is part of a larger industry-wide response to the ethical and legal implications of generative AI technologies, especially in relation to copyright infringement and workers’ rights. Artist unions, advocacy groups, and studios are actively working to regulate the use of AI in music and production.
Concerns have been raised about AI being used to create songs, scripts, images, and videos, including deepfake pornographic content of artists like Taylor Swift. Lawmakers are introducing legislation to address the misuse of AI, with recent laws criminalizing non-consensual AI creations of sexual images. Companies using artists’ work to train AI models without permission are also under scrutiny.
In response, Tennessee enacted the Portrait, Voice, and Image Security Act, known as the “Elvis Act”, to protect musicians from unauthorized use of AI-generated vocal likenesses for commercial purposes. The debate extends to posthumous use of artists’ likenesses, as AI tools are capable of creating realistic representations based on old footage.
As AI tools become more ubiquitous, musicians are taking a stand on acceptable uses of artificial intelligence. Some artists see generative AI as a tool for experimentation, while others express concerns about imitations of their musical styles.
The Artist Rights Alliance, led by music industry veterans like director Roseanne Cash, has garnered support from a wide range of artists, including country stars, rappers, and indie pop musicians. Estate organizations representing deceased artists have also signed the letter, reflecting the ongoing debate in the entertainment industry about posthumous use of artists’ likenesses through AI.
The intersection of AI and music continues to raise complex ethical and legal questions, with artists and industry stakeholders advocating for responsible use of technology to protect artistic integrity and creativity.
SNine years ago today, Joaquin Oliver was murdered in the hallway outside his Florida classroom. He was one of 17 students and staff killed in America's deadliest high school shooting. On Wednesday, lawmakers in Washington, D.C., will hear his voice recreated by artificial intelligence on the phone, asking them why they haven't done more about the gun violence epidemic.
“It's been six years and you haven't done anything. You can't stop the shootings that have happened since then,” he said of the Valentine's Day 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. A message from Oliver, who was 17 at the time of his tragic death, reads:
“I came back today because my parents used AI to recreate my voice and call you. Other victims like me have also received countless calls demanding action. How many calls will it take to care? How many dead voices will I hear before I finally hear it?”
Oliver is one of six people who lost their lives to firearms, and his voice is about to be heard again. He's issuing a call to action in an innovative online gun reform campaign launched today. shot line.
Parkland victim Joaquin Oliver
“How many dead voices will we hear before we finally hear it?”
Sorry, your browser does not support audio. However, you can download and listen here $https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2024/02/13/TheShotline_AI_JoaquinOliver_Call_to_Congress.mp3
A project by two activist groups formed in the wake of the Parkland shooting and creative communications agency MullenLowe, it leverages AI technology to generate direct messages from shooting victims themselves.
The voices are “trained” using deep machine learning from audio clips provided by family members. The resulting recordings are ready to go directly to the people in Congress who have the power to take action against gun violence. Website visitors enter their zip code and choose the message they want to send to their elected representatives.
“We all hear children's voices in our heads. Why don't lawmakers need to hear them too?” said Mike Song, whose 15-year-old son Ethan died in an accident involving a missing gun.
Ethan's message, like Oliver's, is straightforward. “Children like me die every day. It's time to act. It's time to pass laws that protect children from unsafe guns. At the end of the day, it's about helping people. It’s your job to pass responsible gun control, or we’ll find someone to do it.”
Other voices recreated for the Shotline project include that of 10-year-old Ujiyah Garcia, a victim of the 2022 Uvalde Elementary School shooting in Texas. Akira DaSilva, 23, was killed in the 2018 Waffle House shooting in Tennessee. Jaycee Webster, 20, was shot and killed by an intruder in his Maryland home in 2017. And in 2014, Mike Bohan committed suicide with a gun he could buy in 15 minutes.
Vaughn's death, who suffered from depression, sparked a movement that led to passage of Maryland's first Red Flag gun control.
Six years after Oliver's murder, it is by design that Oliver's voice is at the forefront of the campaign. One of his two groups behind this effort is march for our livean activist group formed by Stoneman Douglas students that sparked global protests after Parkland.
The Shotline campaign uses AI to generate audio messages from gun violence victims. Photo: shot line
the other one is, Change references, was founded by the teenager's parents, Manny and Patricia Oliver. They have been relentlessly advocating for gun reform since his son was murdered.
“We wanted this to be a powerful message,” Patricia Oliver said. “Joaquin has his own energy, his own image, and that's what keeps him alive. I'm so proud of Joaquin, he's the driving force that drives us forward.”
She admits the process of recreating her son's voice for 56 seconds was mentally taxing. The Olivers searched their phones and computers for videos containing Joaquin's statements and asked her sister Andrea, other relatives and girlfriend Tori to do the same.
“It was difficult to make out his exact voice because of the noise in the background,” she said. “In one video, he was in the pool and we were talking and the sound of the water was distracting.”
Eventually, we assembled enough clips for our engineers to work with, and after a long period of fine-tuning, we received the final “draft.”
“When I played it, it was incredibly shocking and a lot of different emotions came up. We had been listening to videos of Joaquín talking about the past, and now he's in a situation where he is today, very emotional. We talk about recent things,” she said.
“I know this is just a fantasy and not the truth. But in that moment, you forget what you're listening to, why you're listening, and he just says, 'Hello, Mom, how are you?' I just hope from the bottom of my heart that you just say, “?”. once again. “
Ethan's mother, Christine Song, said she felt the same painful emotions when she heard her son “talk” again six years after his death.
“It brings you back to that day, the last words your child said to you before leaving your life,” she said.
“Honestly, I just sat there and sobbed, because I knew he would never come back. But the Olivers, and my husband, and people like us all have one thing in common: What we're saying is that we go out every day and fight for respect for our children, and we're actually fighting for your children and grandchildren.”
The Songs are pressuring federal lawmakers to pass the Connecticut bill. ethan's lawrequires safe storage of firearms in the home.
“We have promised that we will not stop until we can create a cultural shift in this country where gun owners make safe storage of their weapons second nature,” said Kristen Song. Ta. “You might think that's enough because the coffins of our dead children are piling up, but when it comes to Republicans in Congress, they just don't listen.”
To create voice and calls, MullenLowe talking baby For E*Trade's Super Bowl commercial, we partnered with AI specialist Edisen, with teams in the US and Sweden working on the project.
Snippets of audio “trained” on speech patterns and tonality were fed through Eleven Labs’ generative voice AI platform, and the reconstructed voices generated voice calls from text-to-speech scripts.
“There's a lot of talk about AI right now, but this is a beautiful example of what AI can actually achieve, and a very human achievement,” says Mirko, AI creative designer at Stockholm-based Edisen.・Mr. Lempert said.
“This project was very moving and showed me how different our world is, because in my country we are not exposed to it.” [gun violence] That's the situation. That was a wake-up call. ”
Last week, the Federal Communications Commission banned robocalls using AI-generated voices after Joe Biden's voice was imitated in a fake phone call to voters in New Hampshire.
MullenLowe said Shotline calls are exempt because they are not auto-dialed, are made to a landline and are provided with a callback number.
Ministers must protect content creators whose work has been used without permission by tech companies for AI products like chatbots, which generate significant financial gains, according to a House of Lords committee.
The Lords Communications and Digital Committee stated that the UK’s legal framework is failing to uphold copyright principles as AI development progresses.
The commission highlighted that high-tech companies are using copyrighted materials without authorization and reaping substantial benefits.
Copyright has become a crucial issue in the development of generative AI, which involves creating text, images, and audio from human commands.
The committee called for government action against copyright infringement and urged for an update to the legal framework to prevent such outcomes.
Additionally, the committee recommended that the government evaluate whether the current copyright law adequately safeguards the rights of copyright owners and consider amending the law if there is legal uncertainty.
Furthermore, the Intellectual Property Office of the government is working on a code of practice for copyright and AI. The Copyright Act of 1988 exempts text and data mining for “non-commercial” research, but the government had initially planned to extend this exemption to all uses in 2022, which has since been withdrawn.
In the US, OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, is facing lawsuits for alleged copyright infringement, as it has been accused of using copyrighted material to create its tools. Similarly, Microsoft and other companies have emphasized the potential negative impacts of restricted access to data on the functionality of AI models.
The committee also cautioned the government about the prolonged technological disruption caused by AI and the need to prevent the concentration of market power in a few companies’ hands.
A government spokesperson indicated that the Intellectual Property Office has been collaborating with stakeholders to formulate voluntary regulations on AI and copyright, aimed at facilitating the thriving coexistence of AI and creative industries.
Our health care system has fundamental flaws that are negatively impacting women.
Systemic gaps and biases have led to women’s pain being less understood and therefore mistreated compared to men’s pain – a phenomenon known as the gender pain gap. This gender pain gap is only expanding, with 11% more women than men feeling their pain is ignored or dismissed compared to 7% in 2022, according to a recent report commissioned by Nurofen.
The report surveyed over 5,000 people, finding that women in the UK take longer than men to seek medical attention for the same type of pain. Additionally, less than half of the women surveyed were diagnosed within 11 months, compared with two-thirds of men. More women still had undiagnosed pain after 12 months or more. A third of women reported that their late diagnoses were due to medical professionals not listening, taking them seriously, or ignoring them.
Another study found that 50% of women feel their pain is ignored, particularly when it comes to menstrual health. Additionally, medical professionals often dismiss women’s symptoms as “normal” and attribute them to hormones and stress, leading to women’s pain being ignored and undermining their confidence and authority as patients.
These pain disparities contribute to a shorter healthy lifespan for women, given that they suffer from chronic conditions more than men.
Despite the complexity and multifactorial nature of the gender pain gap, women have historically been underrepresented in medical research and clinical trials, contributing to a lack of understanding of women’s healthcare needs and pain symptoms.
Women continue to struggle to have their pain taken seriously and treated appropriately, resulting in significant impacts on their lives and wellbeing.
About our expert Dr. Marike Bigg
Marike is a science writer with a PhD in Sociology from the University of Cambridge. She argues that medicine is not gender-neutral, from research to diagnosis to treatment in her book, This Doesn’t Hurt: How Women Fail With Medications.
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