Artificial Intelligence
Ongoing coverage on Artificial Intelligence.
Latest coverage
Xbox to cut 3200 jobs in the new financial year
Microsoft's Xbox division is undergoing its most significant restructure in history, with approximately 3,200 jobs being cut over the next fiscal year, including 1,600 immediately. Five game development studios are also departing, with Double Fine and Compulsion Games becoming independent, while Ninja Theory, Undead Labs, and Arkane Studios are in various stages of negotiation or consultation for new ownership. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma cited unhealthy business margins and a strategic shift towards AI investment as reasons for the cuts.
AI Yi-Yi!
NVIDIA's blog discusses how open models are accelerating advancements in artificial intelligence research. The article highlights the collaborative nature of open-source development in pushing the boundaries of AI capabilities.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's Hans Capon actor says the RPG's success hasn't led to more work, even though "Warhorse have been absolute gems"
Luke Dale, the actor who portrays Hans Capon in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, stated that the game's success has not translated into more acting work for him. He expressed gratitude towards developer Warhorse Studios but criticized the broader industry for not being supportive, especially in the current climate of AI adoption and layoffs.
The games industry reacts to Xbox layoffs: 'We are clearly at a turning point'
Microsoft's Xbox division has announced significant layoffs, impacting approximately 3,200 employees and leading to the closure or restructuring of four game studios. This move has drawn widespread reactions from industry figures, expressing shock, sorrow, and anger, with many calling it a turning point for the game industry. The layoffs occur amidst Microsoft's continued investment in artificial intelligence, a decision that has drawn criticism for its perceived prioritization over game development talent.
“Catastrophic Mismanagement” And AI Gambits Led To Mass Xbox Layoffs, Expert Says
An expert attributes the recent mass layoffs at Microsoft, including 3,200 at Xbox, to "catastrophic mismanagement" by CEO Satya Nadella and the company's AI strategies. The article suggests that AI investments are not yielding sufficient returns, leading to cost-cutting measures that also involve divesting several development studios. Despite Microsoft's claims that AI is changing how work is done, the company's stock price has seen a decline.
Google now uses your uploaded search media to train AI
Google is now using user-uploaded search media to train its artificial intelligence models. Users can opt out of this data collection method by adjusting their settings.
Wisconsin residents file class-action lawsuit against Microsoft, alleging 'unreasonable and excessive noise'…
Wisconsin residents have filed a class-action lawsuit against Microsoft, alleging that its Fairwater data center in Mount Pleasant emits excessive noise from diesel generators and HVAC systems. The suit claims this noise pollution, including infrasound, has negatively impacted residents' sleep and quality of life. Microsoft stated it is investigating the issues and has implemented noise mitigation measures, but the lawsuit suggests these have not fully resolved the problem for all affected parties.
AI golem Tilly Norwood is reportedly 'starring' in a feature-length movie
A feature-length movie is reportedly in development starring an AI character named Tilly Norwood. The film will focus on a fictional artificial intelligence entity.
AI Yi-Yi!
Meta's Pocket app allows users to create games without coding knowledge, leveraging AI. Separately, AI actor Tilly Norwood is set to star in the feature film 'Misaligned', and Reddit is implementing measures to combat AI-generated content.
Reddit to combat AI with more AI
Reddit is planning to use artificial intelligence to combat the misuse of AI on its platform. The company aims to leverage AI technologies to identify and address issues related to AI-generated content and its impact on the user experience.
Xbox cutting 3,200 jobs and parting ways with Double Fine, Compulsion, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs
Microsoft has initiated a significant restructure of its Xbox division, eliminating 3,200 jobs and parting ways with four studios: Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs. New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma stated the cuts are necessary due to underperforming bets on Xbox Game Pass and multiplatform releases, as well as a severe hardware crisis impacting component prices. The company aims to streamline operations, reduce management layers, and foster a more efficient development environment.
Google's AI Studio lead has vibe coded a port of Command & Conquer for iOS
Ammaar Reshi, lead of product and design at Google AI Studio, announced the successful port of the 2003 game Command & Conquer: Generals – Zero Hour to iOS devices using Anthropic's Claude Fable 5 AI model. The port features native ARM64 compilation, touch controls designed for RTS gameplay, and is available on GitHub, though it requires users to provide their own game copy.
PlayStation is Using Generative AI for Placeholder Voices and Art
Sony is utilizing generative AI tools within its PlayStation studios to assist developers with repetitive tasks, aiming to speed up iteration and improve output quality. These AI tools are being used for creating placeholder assets like synthetic voices and art, as well as accelerating QA, 3D modeling, and facial animations. The company emphasizes that AI is intended to augment human creativity and capabilities rather than replace artists and creators.
The MOP Up: Guild Wars 2 gears up for its PvP Rush event
Guild Wars 2 is launching its PvP Rush event on July 7th, offering boosted rewards and intense competition. The article also rounds up other smaller MMO news, including a fishing update for Outbound, Godot Engine's stance on AI, a Diablo IV Warlock trial, hotfixes for Dune: Awakening, new items in AdventureQuest 3D, a Standing Stone Games meetup at Gen Con, server adjustments in RIFT, and a reversed decision regarding XP boosters in Battlefield 6.
Researchers studying ChatGPT conversations surprised to find one power user churning out thousands of Doki Doki…
A study of over half a million ChatGPT conversations revealed that a significant portion involved AI-generated fiction, with fan fiction being particularly prevalent. Researchers identified distinct user types, including one prolific user who generated thousands of variations of a specific Doki Doki Literature Club pregnancy scenario. The study also noted that popular fan fiction universes requested from AI differed from those commonly found on human-written fan fiction repositories like AO3.
How your smartwatch and AI might detect early signs of illness
Wearable devices, such as smartwatches, can detect early signs of illness by identifying deviations from an individual's usual physiological patterns. These outliers can prompt further investigation with a healthcare professional, leveraging artificial intelligence to analyze the data.
AI Yi-Yi!
A study found that 57 AI billionaires collectively hold $320 billion, highlighting the significant financial impact of artificial intelligence. The article also touches upon concerns regarding the public sharing of children's images due to AI abuse risks and the revival of top AI models.
Only these iPhone models are getting the new Siri AI this fall
Apple is set to introduce new artificial intelligence features to certain iPhone models this fall. However, not all devices will receive these updates, with some models being excluded from the new AI capabilities.
Midjourney wants the Hollywood studios that sued it to show the court how they use AI
AI image generator Midjourney is requesting that Hollywood studios Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Universal Pictures disclose how they are using artificial intelligence. This request comes as part of ongoing lawsuits filed by these studios against Midjourney.
AI Yi-Yi!
Anthropic has clarified that Claude 5 will not be permanently removed from subscription services, addressing user concerns. Separately, the CEO of Palantir expressed significant issues with the company's operations during a live television appearance.