Posted by msmash from Slashdot
From the how-about-that department: AI is speeding up the work of America's intelligence services, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Tuesday. From a report: Speaking to a technology conference, Gabbard said AI programs, when used responsibly, can save money and free up intelligence officers to focus on gathering and analyzing information. The sometimes slow pace of intelligence work frustrated her as a member of Congress, Gabbard said, and continues to be a challenge. AI can run human resource programs, for instance, or scan sensitive documents ahead of potential declassification, Gabbard said. Her office has released tens of thousands of pages of material related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and his brother, New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, on the orders of President Donald Trump.

Experts had predicted the process could take many months or even years, but AI accelerated the work by scanning the documents to see if they contained any material that should remain classified, Gabbard said during her remarks at the Amazon Web Services Summit in Washington. "We have been able to do that through the use of AI tools far more quickly than what was done previously -- which was to have humans go through and look at every single one of these pages," Gabbard said.

Posted by msmash from Slashdot
From the bleak-picture department: The World Bank sharply reduced its global economic growth forecast for 2025 to 2.3% from 2.7%, warning that the current decade is on track to become the weakest for the global economy since the 1960s. The Washington-based lender attributed the downgrade to mounting costs from "international discord -- about trade, in particular," as Donald Trump's tariff policies create unprecedented uncertainty.

The revised forecast would mark the slowest growth rate outside full-blown recessions since 2008. Even with a modest recovery to 2.4% expected in 2026, the bank characterized the outlook as merely "tepid." Chief economist Indermit Gill said "outside of Asia, the developing world is becoming a development-free zone." Growth in developing economies has steadily declined from 6% annually in the 2000s to 5% in the 2010s, now falling below 4% in the 2020s. The bank said that "many of the forces behind the great economic miracle of the last 50 years" have reversed, with more than half of low-income countries either in debt distress or at high risk.

Posted by Coldheart from The Toyark


Chucky joins this years NECA Exclusives for San Diego Comic-Con 2025 with a new beach themed release. The Child’s Play 3 – “Surf’s Up” Chucky Ultimate 7″ Scale Figure includes two swap out portraits, arm floaties, a beach towel, suntan ...

The post Surf’s Up Chucky – NECA SDCC 2025 Exclusive appeared first on The Toyark - News.

Posted by from MMO Champion
Join Faerin in the Rise of the Red Dawn Story Campaign

Originally Posted by Blizzard
(Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

Rise of the Red Dawn

Where: Receive quest from Faerin Lothar standing outside Stonelight Rest in Dornogal.

Difficulty: Level 80

While attention has been focused on Khaz Algar, a new enemy has risen in the Arathi Highlands, threatening to shatter the tenuous peace between Stromgarde and Hammerfall. Join Faerin, Danath, and Geya'rah as they attempt to expose a conspiracy, defuse tensions, and grapple with the legacy of Arathor. Experience this new storyline with branching viewpoints based on your character’s faction as you brave the journey ahead.

---

Rewards

Don the tabard of your allegiance when you complete the "Rise of Red Dawn" quest:

Alliance: Stromgarde Tabard

Horde: Hammerfall Tabard

Look as brave as those who wield the Sacred Flame when you complete the "Past Glory" quest. Earn the Lamplighter's Pauldrons transmog, inspired by Fearin's lamplighter shoulders, and the "Rise of the Red Dawn" achievement and Title:

Alliance: Rise of the Red Dawn achievement and title " of Stromgarde"

Horde: Rise of the Red Dawn achievement and title " of Hammerfall"

---

Dive Further into Faerin's Story




We look forward to hearing about your adventures ahead, Champion.

< This article continues on their website >

Posted by msmash from Slashdot
From the moving-forward department: A NASA-backed project using observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has released more than 1.5 TB of data for open science, offering the largest view deep into the universe available to date. From a report: The Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS), a joint project from the University of California, Santa Barbara and Rochester Institute of Technology, has launched a searchable dataset for budding astrophysics enthusiasts worldwide.

As well as a catalog of galaxies, the dataset includes an interactive viewer that users can search for images of specific objects or click them to view their properties, covering approximately 0.54 square degrees of sky with the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and a 0.2 square degree area with the Mid Infrared Instrument (MIRI). Although the raw data was already publicly available to the science community, the aim of the COSMOS-Web project was to make it more usable for other scientists.

Posted by msmash from Slashdot
From the moving-forward department: BrianFagioli writes: Ubuntu 25.10, known as Questing Quokka, is taking a big turn under the hood. Canonical has dropped support for the GNOME desktop running on Xorg. Starting with this release, the default Ubuntu session now uses Wayland only. Yes, folks, there's no longer an option to log into GNOME on Xorg.

Posted by Tony_Bacala from TFW2005


Earlier today Hasbro officially revealed the last wave of Age of the Primes along with some exclusive packs, and now those items are going live across the net.  Read on to check out official pics, product copy, and pre-order linkage! Transformers Age of the Primes Sandstorm / Slugslinger 2 Pack Amazon (#ad) Transformers Studio Series ROTF Decepticon 3 Pack (Megatron, Fallen, Soundwave)  Amazon (#ad) Transformers Age of the Primes Aerialbot Skydive TFSource, Entertainment Earth, Big Bad Toy Store, Robot Kingdom, » Continue Reading.

The post Transformers Age of the Primes Wave 3 Official Images, Info, and Links! appeared first on Transformer World 2005 - TFW2005.COM.

Posted by from MMO Champion
Warcraft Short Story: "Faith & Flame"

Originally Posted by Blizzard
(Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

Since she was small, Faerin Lothar has felt a call deep within her to brave the darkness. Now Faerin feels that call again, compelling her to leave Hallowfall with Anduin and the outlanders. Join Faerin Lothar for a special fireside telling of our newest short story.

Join Faerin Lothar for a special fireside telling of our newest short story, "Faith & Flame."

Written by L. L. McKinney, Illustrated by Zoltan Boros, and Narrated by Paris Blu as Faerin Lothar.

Download the PDF

Then, find out if Faerin is equal to the task ahead of her in the Rise of the Red Dawn story campaign arriving with The War Within: Legacy of Arathor, arriving on June 17.

And, if you’re catching up with The War Within story, embark on a legendary narrative journey with "Heartlands," a 5-part audio novella written by Adam Christopher and narrated by Chris Metzen.

---

Keep an eye on worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com/news for more details on The War Within: Legacy of Arathor.

Posted by msmash from Slashdot
From the tough-luck department: Apple's latest AI models continue to lag behind competitors, according to the company's own benchmark testing it disclosed this week. The tech giant's newest "Apple On-Device" model, which runs locally on iPhones and other devices, performed only "comparably" to similarly-sized models from Google and Alibaba in human evaluations of text generation quality -- not better, despite being Apple's most recent release.

The performance gap widens with Apple's more powerful "Apple Server" model, designed for data center deployment. Human testers rated it behind OpenAI's year-old GPT-4o in text generation tasks. In image analysis tests, evaluators preferred Meta's Llama 4 Scout model over Apple Server, a particularly notable result given that Llama 4 Scout itself underperforms leading models from Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI on various benchmarks.

Posted by msmash from Slashdot
From the cashing-in department: Cisco is updating its networking and security products to make AI networks speedier and more secure, part of a broader push to capitalize on the AI spending boom. From a report: A new generation of switches -- networking equipment that links computer systems -- will offer a 10-fold improvement in performance, the company said on Tuesday. That will help prevent AI applications from suffering bottlenecks when transferring data, Cisco said. Networking speed has become a bigger issue as data center operators try to manage a flood of AI information -- both in the cloud and within the companies' own facilities. Slowdowns can hinder AI models, Cisco President and Chief Product Officer Jeetu Patel said in an interview. That applies to the development phase -- known as training -- and the operation of the models, a stage called inference. A massive build-out of data centers has made Cisco more relevant, he said. "AI is going to be network-bound, both on training and inference," Patel said. Having computer processors sit idle during training because of slow networks is "just throwing away money."

Posted by Tony_Bacala from TFW2005


Nate and Mark from the Transformers team just wrapped a stream showing off new Transformers goodies for June 2025, capping off this years Age of the Primes line and then some exclusives packs.  Read on to check out pics and some quick notes.  Pre-Orders go live for everything seen here at 1 PM TODAY, will update with linkage later. # # # Transformers June 25 Stream Recap Notes AOTP Wave 3 Aerialbot Skydive Aerialbot Fireflight Insecticon Venim Primes Micronus Primes Alpha Trion Voyager Flatline Primes Onyx Prime Exclusives Sandstorm / Slugslinger 2 Pack (Amazon) G2 Snarl and Slag Slug (Fan » Continue Reading.

The post Transformers June 25 Stream Recap – Aerialbots, Primes, ROTF Decepticon Pack and More! appeared first on Transformer World 2005 - TFW2005.COM.

Posted by msmash from Slashdot
From the PSA department: A group of 20 internationally renowned scientists have issued a strong warning against attempts to narrow the definition of "forever chemicals" in what they describe as a politically or economically motivated effort to weaken regulation of the potentially harmful chemicals. From a report: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (Pfas) are a large group of synthetic chemicals used for their oil-, water- and stain-resistant properties in a range of consumer and industrial products from waterproof clothing and non-stick cookware to firefighting foams and electronics.

Their molecular structure makes them resistant to degradation, earning them the nickname "forever chemicals." In the last few years there has been growing awareness of the problems associated with Pfas, and a push for more stringent regulation, resulting in the banning of certain forms. A group of scientists are now raising the alarm about efforts, including by some individuals and groups in the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUpac), to narrow the current international definition of Pfas in ways that could exclude certain chemical subgroups.

Posted by msmash from Slashdot
From the closer-look department: The Class of 2025 is encountering the worst entry-level job market in years with unemployment among recent degree-holders aged 22 to 27 reaching 5.8% this spring -- the highest level in approximately four years and well above the national average. According to Federal Reserve Bank of New York data, 85% of the unemployment rate increase since mid-2023 stems from new labor market entrants struggling to find work.

Corporate hiring freezes implemented under threats of President Trump's tariffs, combined with AI replacing traditional entry-level positions, have severely constrained opportunities for new graduates. More than 60% of executives surveyed on LinkedIn indicate that AI will eventually assume tasks currently assigned to entry-level employees, particularly mundane and manual roles.

The impact varies significantly by major, with computer engineering graduates -- once highly sought-after -- now facing a 7.5% unemployment rate, the third-highest among recent graduates. Employment in computer science and mathematical jobs for those under 27 has dropped 8% since 2022, even as it grew 0.8% for older workers.

Posted by msmash from Slashdot
From the switching-sides department: OpenAI plans to add Alphabet's Google cloud service to meet its growing needs for computing capacity, Reuters reported Tuesday, marking a surprising collaboration between two prominent competitors in the AI race. From the report: The deal, which has been under discussion for a few months, was finalized in May, one of the sources added. It underscores how massive computing demands to train and deploy AI models are reshaping the competitive dynamics in AI, and marks OpenAI's latest move to diversify its compute sources beyond its major supporter Microsoft, including its high-profile Stargate data center project.

It is a win for Google's cloud unit, which will supply additional computing capacity to OpenAI's existing infrastructure for training and running its AI models, sources said, who requested anonymity to discuss private matters. The move also comes as OpenAI's ChatGPT poses the biggest threat to Google's dominant search business in years, with Google executives recently saying that the AI race may not be winner-take-all.

Posted by Black Convoy from TFW2005


Japanese website U-Treasure have been updated with a listing for a new Transformers x Seiko Collaboration. This an elegant stainless steel Seiko watch, limited to 300 pieces worldwide, featuring several G1 Megatron details and references on its construction. It will be engraved with the 40th anniversary logo and serial number on the back and packed in a special box. Pre-orders are live until August 12th, 2025 for 59400 yen which is about $410.86 USD. This new release follows the Seiko x Transformers Optimus Prime watch released while back in 2023. See the promotional images and product description (via Google Translate) after » Continue Reading.

The post Transformers x Seiko Collaboration: Megatron Watch appeared first on Transformer World 2005 - TFW2005.COM.

Posted by BeauHD from Slashdot
From the AI-future department: Longtime Slashdot reader theodp writes: The old Code.org curriculum page for middle and high school students has been changed to include a new Python Lab in the tech-backed nonprofit's K-12 offerings. Elsewhere on the site, a Computer Science and AI Foundations curriculum is described that includes units on 'Foundations of AI Programming [in Python]' and 'Insights from Data and AI [aka Data Science].' A more-detailed AI Foundations Syllabus 25-26 document promises a second semester of material is coming soon: "This semester offers an innovative approach to teaching programming by integrating learning with and about artificial intelligence (AI). Using Python as the primary language, students build foundational programming skills while leveraging AI tools to enhance computational thinking and problem-solving. The curriculum also introduces students to the basics of creating AI-powered programs, exploring machine learning, and applying data science principles."

Newly-posted videos on Code.org's YouTube channel appear to be intended to support the new Python-based CS & AI course. "Python is extremely versatile," explains a Walmart data scientist to open the video for Data Science: Using Python. "So, first of all, Python is one of the very few languages that can handle numbers very, very well." A researcher at the Univ. of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) adds, "Python is the gold standard and what people expect data scientists to know [...] Key to us being able to handle really big data sets is our use of Python and cluster computing." Adding to the Python love, an IHME data analyst explains, "Python is a great choice for large databases because there's a lot of support for Python libraries."

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Posted by Joe Moore from The Toyark


Joining NECA’s homage to the classic Remco Universal Monsters figures is the upcoming Glow-In-The-Dark Bride of Frankenstein 7″ Scale Figure. This release will be a San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Exclusive. It features a Glow-In-The-Dark, and a vintage style vinyl robe. ...

The post NECA Glow-In-The-Dark Bride of Frankenstein SDCC 2025 Exclusive appeared first on The Toyark - News.

Posted by msmash from Slashdot
From the pushing-the-limits department: Meta is preparing to unveil a new AI research lab dedicated to pursuing "superintelligence," a hypothetical A.I. system that exceeds the powers of the human brain, as the tech giant jockeys to stay competitive in the technology race, New York Times reported Tuesday, citing four people with the knowledge of the company's plans. From the report: Meta has tapped Alexandr Wang, 28, the founder and chief executive of the A.I. start-up Scale AI, to join the new lab, the people said, and has been in talks to invest billions of dollars in his company as part of a deal that would also bring other Scale employees to the company.

Meta has offered seven- to nine-figure compensation packages to dozens of researchers from leading A.I. companies such as OpenAI and Google, with some agreeing to join, according to the people. The new lab is part of a larger reorganization of Meta's A.I. efforts, the people said. The company, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has recently grappled with internal management struggles over the technology, as well as employee churn and several product releases that fell flat, two of the people said.

Posted by Jacer from TFW2005


From the boards we have yet another reveal, this time Generations Selects 2-pack featuring  G2 Snarl and G2 Slug. These are repaints from their Studio Series 86 counterparts. More information should be out later today during the live stream!  

The post Generations Selects G2 Dinobots Snarl and Slug Revealed appeared first on Transformer World 2005 - TFW2005.COM.

Posted by BeauHD from Slashdot
From the change-of-plans department: Blue Origin is falling far short of its goal to launch the New Glenn rocket eight times in 2025, with its second flight now delayed until at least mid-August. Key leadership changes were also announced, including the departure of the New Glenn program head, as the company faces pressure to increase launch cadence and compete with SpaceX for federal contracts and Amazon's Project Kuiper deployments. Ars Technica reports: The mission, with an undesignated payload, will be named "Never Tell Me the Odds," due to the attempt to land the booster. "One of our key mission objectives will be to land and recover the booster," [chief executive of Blue Origin, Dave Limp] wrote. "This will take a little bit of luck and a lot of excellent execution. We're on track to produce eight GS2s this year, and the one we'll fly on this second mission was hot-fired in April."

In this comment, GS2 stands for "Glenn stage 2," or the second stage of the large rocket. It is telling that Limp commented on the company tracking toward producing eight second stages, which would match the original launch cadence planned for this year. This likely is a fig leaf offered to Bezos, who, two sources said, was rather upset that Blue Origin would not meet (or even approach) its original target of eight launches this year. One person familiar with the progress on the vehicle told Ars that even a launch date in August is unrealistic -- this too may have been set aggressively to appease Bezos -- and that September is probably the earliest the rocket is likely to be ready for launch. Blue Origin has not publicly stated what the payload will be, but this second flight is expected to carry the ESCAPADE mission for NASA.

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