Enlarge / An AI-generated vector graphic of a barbarian and a landscape generated with Adobe Illustrator. (credit: Benj Edwards / Adobe)

On Tuesday, Adobe announced major updates to AI image synthesis features across several products, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and Adobe Express. The updates include three new generative AI models—Firefly 2, Firefly Design Model, and Firefly Vector Model—which improve its previous offerings and add new capabilities. With the vector model, Adobe is notably launching its first text-to-vector AI image generator.

It’s been a busy year for generative AI, and Adobe has not been content to sit it out. In March, the graphic design software giant debuted its text-to-image synthesis model called Firefly, which it billed as an ethical alternative to Stable Diffusion and Midjourney due to being trained on Adobe Stock imagery only. Firefly can generate novel images based on text descriptions called prompts (i.e., “a scenic vista” or “a beefy-looking barbarian”). The company later brought the technology to Photoshop and web apps, and promised to cover any legal bills that might arise from copyright claims against artwork generated with its tools.

Now, Adobe is extending its reach with a wave of new generative AI features. Adobe’s Firefly Image 2 model is an update to its original Firefly AI image generator, which powers Photoshop features like Generative Fill. Adobe claims this new version offers improved image quality, particularly in areas like foliage, skin texture, and facial features. In addition to these enhancements, the Firefly Image 2 model introduces AI-driven editing capabilities that can adjust various photo settings like depth of field and motion blur. A new “Prompt Guidance” feature also aids users in refining the wording of their text descriptions and automatically completes prompts to boost efficiency.

Enlarge / Caroline Ellison, former CEO of Alameda Research, arrives at court in New York on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. (credit: Getty Images | Bloomberg)

Caroline Ellison, the former Alameda Research CEO who dated Sam Bankman-Fried, testified against her former partner today in his criminal trial. “In the trial’s second week, Ellison said she committed fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering along with Bankman-Fried and others,” the Associated Press reported.

“He was originally the CEO of Alameda and the owner of Alameda and he directed me to commit these crimes,” Ellison said today, according to a Bloomberg article. She added that “Alameda took several billion dollars from FTX customers and used it for its own investments” and to pay off lenders.

Ellison’s testimony began shortly before the court took a break for a lunch. The trial is in US District Court for the Southern District of New York, located in Manhattan.

Enlarge / A Google-created splash image on the passkey theme. (credit: Google)

Google is taking a big step toward making passkeys the default login option for its users. Starting today, users logging in to personal Google accounts will be prompted to create and use passkeys instead of passwords when possible. (Passwords will still be used in some contexts where they are not yet supported.)

Built on the WebAuthn standard, passkeys seek to replace passwords by leaning on your local device’s authentication method, like biometrics or a PIN. We’ve published a couple of articles explaining passkeys in detail and answering common questions about them, but the very short explanation is that your operating system creates a unique, local pair of keys to match your account for a website, service, or application. One key is on the server, but the other (the one you need to sign in) is local.

Here’s how Google describes them:

Enlarge / A MacBook Pro running a game, a scenario that is technically possible but practically rare. (credit: Apple)

That cycle played out again in Valve’s recent Counter-Strike 2 update, which removed the Mac support already present in the outgoing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Today a Valve support document for CS2 confirmed that Mac support had been removed and wasn’t likely to be re-added, along with support for ancient DirectX 9-class GPU hardware and legacy 32-bit operating systems.

Enlarge / The Pyramid of Sahura in Abusir, Egypt. (credit: Mohamed Ismail Khaled)

Over a century after a British archaeologist noted a blocked passageway in the ruins of Sahura’s Pyramid in Egypt and suggested it might lead to additional rooms, a team of Egyptian and German archaeologists have cleared out that passageway to prove the archaeologist right. They discovered several previously undocumented storage rooms and used 3D laser scanning to produce a map of the interior, shedding additional light on the structure’s architecture.

Sahura (“He who is close to Re“) was the second ruler of Egypt’s Fifth Dynasty and reigned for roughly 13 years in the early 25th century BCE. Egyptologists believe he was the son of the first Fifth Dynasty founder, Userkaf, and Queen Neferhetepes II. When the time came for Sahura to build his pyramid complex, he chose to do so at a site called Abusir instead of Saqqara or Giza, where prior pharaohs had constructed their edifices. Archaeologists have suggested this might have been because Userkaf had built a sun temple at Abusir. Regardless, Sahura started a new trend: Abusir became the main acropolis for three other pharaohs of the early Fifth Dynasty.

The decorative carved reliefs of Sahura’s Pyramid are widely considered to be unparalleled in Egyptian art, and the architectural design was a milestone in its use of palmiform columns, among other innovations; it became a template for subsequent pyramid/temple complexes in the Old Kingdom. The pyramid was smaller than the great monuments at Giza and Saqqara and more cheaply constructed, indicative of the decline in pyramid building in Egypt. For instance, the inner core was made of roughly hewn stones packed with a fill of limestone chips, pottery shards, and sand, held together with a thick clay mortar; only the outer casing was built with high-quality limestone. It might have made the pyramid faster and cheaper to build, but it also meant the pyramid deteriorated more over time.

Enlarge (credit: SOPA Images / Contributor | LightRocket)

Facebook may have to overhaul its entire ad-targeting system after a California court ruled last month that the platform’s practice of routinely targeting ads by age, gender, and other protected categories violates a state anti-discrimination law.

The decision came after a 48-year-old Facebook user, Samantha Liapes, fought for years to prove that Facebook had discriminated against her as an older woman using the platform’s ad-targeting system to shop for life insurance policies.

Liapes filed a class-action lawsuit against Facebook in 2020. In her complaint, Liapes alleged that “Facebook requires all advertisers to choose the age and gender of its users who will receive ads, and companies offering insurance products routinely tell it to not send their ads to women or older people.” Further, she alleged that Facebook’s ad-delivery algorithm magnifies the problem by using these required inputs to serve the ads to “lookalike audiences.” Through its algorithm, Liapes alleged that she found that Facebook “discriminates against women and older people,” by intentionally excluding them from seeing certain life insurance ads.

Enlarge / Some bugs are just perennially out of reach. (credit: Getty Images)

Back in June 2002, Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth was experiencing space for the first time, the Department of Justice’s antitrust case against Microsoft was reaching its final arguments, and Adam Price, using what was then called Mozilla on a Mac, had an issue with persistent tooltips.

“If I mouseover a toolbar link, and wait for a second, a little yellow box with the description of the link appears. If I now use command-tab to move Mozilla to the background, the little yellow box stays there, in the foreground. The only way to get rid of it is to put mozilla in the foreground again, and move the mouse off the toolbar,” Price wrote on June 2. There were a few other bugs related to this issue, but Price set down a reproducible issue, confirmed by many others in the weeks to come—and months to come, years to come, and more than two decades to come.

Firefox tooltip lingering over an Applications window in Mac OS X, captured 12 years ago. (credit: edrazaba / Mozilla)

Over the years, people would check in on the thread or mark other bugs as duplicates of this one issue. It would occasionally seem fixed, only for coders and commenters to discover that it was just a little different in different versions or that prior fixes were seemingly accidental. Sometimes it seemed to appear in Windows or Linux, too. One commenter, denis, noted that at the 21-year mark: “I’m kinda partial to let it be forever. It feels like a relic from the past.”

Enlarge / The rear-facing camera on the 2022 iPad Air. (credit: Samuel Axon)

Apple gear can be a great option, but it’s not often you can find a real deal. We share small Apple deals when we find them, but thankfully, Amazon’s Prime Day sales are among the few times when we see significant discounts on some of Apple’s hottest tech. If you’ve been waiting to pull the trigger on an iPad, a shiny new pair of AirPods, or even a new MacBook, now is your moment. Here are all the best deals we’ve found on Apple’s best gear during Amazon’s Big Deal Days sales event.

• Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) GPS 44mm Smartwatch with Starlight Sport Band for $229 (was $279) at Amazon
• Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) GPS 40mm Smartwatch with Starlight Sport Loop for $199 (was $249) at Amazon
• Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen, USB-C) Wireless Earbuds for $189 (was $249) at Amazon
• Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen, Lightning) Wireless Earbuds for $189 (was $249) at Amazon
• Apple AirPods (3rd Generation, Lightning) Wireless Earbuds for $150 (was $170) at Amazon
• Apple AirPods Max Wireless Over-Ear Headphones for $480 (was $549) at Amazon
• Apple MacBook Air 13.6-inch Laptop M2 chip for $899 (was $1,099) at Best Buy
• Apple MacBook Air 13.3-inch Laptop M1 for $750 (was $999) at Amazon
• Apple iPad Air (5th Generation) for $500 (was $599) at Amazon
• Apple iPad (9th Generation) for $249 (was $329) at Amazon
• Apple 2021 10.2-inch iPad (Wi-Fi, 64GB) with AppleCare+ (2 Years) for $303 (was $398) at Amazon
• Apple iPad Mini (6th Generation) for $469 (was $499) at Amazon
• Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th Generation) for $1,049 (was $1,099) at Amazon
• Apple AirTag 4 Pack for $89 (was $99) at Amazon
• Apple iPhone 14 Plus Leather Case with Magsafe for $21 (was $59) at Amazon
• Apple Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad: Wireless, Bluetooth, Rechargeable for $96 (was $129) at Amazon

And if you’re not an Amazon shopper, we also found a few notable deals on Apple gear at other retailers.

Best Buy

• Apple Studio Display – Standard Glass Tilt Adjustable – for $1,500 (was $1,600) at Best Buy
• MacBook Air 13.6-inch Laptop – M2 chip for $899 (was $1,099) at Best Buy
• MacBook Air 15-inch Laptop – M2 chip for $1,449 (was $1,699) at Best Buy
• AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with MagSafe Case (USB‑C) for $200 (was $250) at Best Buy
• MacBook Pro 13.3-inch Laptop – M2 chip for $1,049 (was $1,299) at Best Buy
• AirPods Max for $500 (was $550) at Best Buy
• MacBook Air 13.3-inch Laptop – M1 chip for $750 (was $1,000) at Best Buy
• AirPods (3rd generation) with Lightning Charging Case for $150 (was $170) at Best Buy
• Apple 11-Inch iPad Pro for $849 (was $899) at Best Buy
• Apple 12.9-Inch iPad Pro for $1,149 (was $1,199) at Best Buy
• Apple Watch SE 2nd Generation (GPS) 40mm for $219 (was $249) at Best Buy
• Apple 10.2-Inch iPad (9th Generation) for $270 (was $330) at Best Buy
• Apple Mac mini Desktop – M2 for $499 (was $599) at Best Buy

Walmart

• Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) – Lightning for $189 (was $249) at Walmart
• Apple AirPods with Charging Case (2nd Generation) for $89 (was $129) at Walmart
• Apple Watch SE (1st Gen) GPS, 44mm Space Gray for $149 (was $309) at Walmart
• Apple Watch SE (1st Gen) GPS + Cellular 40mm Space Gray for $129 (was $329) at Walmart
• Apple 10.2-inch iPad for $249 (was $329) at Walmart
• Apple AirTag – 4 Pack for $89 (was $99) at Walmart

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images)

The beginning of this year saw a big change to the federal tax incentives applied to electric vehicles, altering which cars were eligible. And from next year, another change is coming, one that we think is long overdue. From January 1, 2024, you’ll be able to have the amount of the credit applied immediately to the car’s price at purchase rather than waiting until tax time.

The original IRS section 30D tax credit, meant to spur the adoption of plug-in vehicles, was tied to the storage capacity of a car’s battery pack. But from this year, the $7,500 credit is now linked to domestic battery manufacturing rather than just battery capacity, with annually escalating percentages of the battery required to come from the US or a country with a free trade agreement in order to qualify.

The changes to the credit—which were made under 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act—also address several problems with the old scheme. A $4,000 credit (IRS section 25E) was created for buyers of used EVs, and there are now income and price caps to address criticisms that the credit merely subsidized those wealthy enough not to need it.

Enlarge / You’ll need an optional $29.99 stand to display your new, slimmer PS5 vertically like this. (credit: Sony)

When we got our first glimpse of the PlayStation 5 over three years ago now, we made immediate note of how the hardware’s black-and-white curves concealed the largest home game console in decades. Today, Sony is ready to do something about all that bulk, announcing new models of both the PS5 and the PS5 Digital Edition in a “new slimmer size.”

The new units—which will be rolling out via “select local retailers” and PlayStation Direct this month—sport the same internal hardware power as the circa 2020 PS5. But these new models come with a 30-plus percent reduction in volume and an 18 to 24 percent reduction in weight compared to current PS5 models, according to Sony. They also feature a 1TB SSD that the PlayStation Blog describes as “more internal storage” than the original units, which officially listed 825GB of storage space.

From this angle I can’t help but see the slit in the new faceplate as a bemused cartoony mouth… (credit: Sony)

Besides the thinner profile, the slimmer units also feature a striking curved slit bisecting each faceplate into “glossy” and “matte” sections (new colored faceplates for these models will be available for $54.99 starting in early 2024, Sony says). Unfortunately, the redesign means the new models won’t be able to stand vertically out of the box—a $29.99 Vertical Stand will be required for that orientation now. But the front-facing USB-A port on the current PS5 has also been replaced with a second USB-C port on the new models, fully cementing the move to the new standard.

Enlarge / A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 60 Starlink satellites launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on January 29, 2020. (credit: Getty Images | SOPA Images )

The FAA’s report to Congress on the “risk associated with reentry disposal of satellites from proposed large constellations in low Earth orbit” was made public on Thursday last week. The Starlink operator responded yesterday in a letter that SpaceX shared with Ars.

“SpaceX writes to correct the record and address inaccurate assessments regarding Starlink,” stated the letter sent to the Department of Transportation, FAA, and leaders of the Senate and House appropriations committees. SpaceX also said it “respectfully requests that FAA correct its report to Congress.”

Enlarge / The 120GB SSD in question. (credit: AliExpress)

As we’ve detailed here at Ars before, there are some sketchy SSDs sold online. They tempt the unsuspecting with supremely low prices, but in the end, all you’re guaranteed is disappointing speeds. Heck, you might not even get solid-state storage—one popular scam passes off microSD cards as cheap SSDs. So what can you expect to get from a 120GB SATA SSD selling for $3?

StorageReview went through the remarkable journey of testing a $3 SSD from AliExpress (linking only to show the product listing. Don’t buy this SSD, of course). The Goldenfir-brand SSD was reportedly given to the storage site by one of its Discord users for testing.

A $3 SSD, tested

StorageReview tested the drive by putting it into a Lenovo SR635 1U server with an AMD Epyc 7742 processor and 512GB of DDR4-3200 RAM.

Enlarge / Ars Technica Amazon Prime Big Deal Days games and toys coverage. (credit: Simon Nguyen)

The New York City set from Lego’s Architecture series. (credit: Jeff Dunn)

• Lego Marvel Hulkbuster 76210 Building Set – Avengers Movie Inspired Building Set for $300 (was $550) at Amazon
• Lego Architecture New York City Skyline 21028 for $42 (was $60) at Amazon
• Lego City Stuntz Ultimate Stunt Riders Challenge 60361 for $70 (was $100) at Amazon
• Lego Minecraft The Llama Village, Farm House Toy Building Set 21188 for $104 (was $130) at Amazon
• Lego Monkie Kid: Monkie Kid’s Lion Guardian 80021 Building Kit for $56 (was $80) at Amazon
• Lego NINJAGO Legacy Ultra Sonic Raider 71739 Building Kit with a Motorcycle for $75 (was $80) at Amazon
• Lego Disney Frozen 2 Elsa’s Jewelry Box Creation 41168 for $32 (was $40) at Amazon
• Lego City Stuntz Dunk Stunt Ramp Challenge 60359 2in1 Action Set for $24 (was $30) at Amazon
• Lego Minifigure A Visual History New Edition: With exclusive LEGO spaceman minifigure! for $31 (was $40) at Amazon
• Lego Harry Potter Magical Year at Hogwarts: Christmas Activity Book with Fun Facts for $13 (was $25) at Amazon

Star Wars

Luke Skywalker 40th Anniversary Legacy Lightsaber (credit: Shop Disney)

• Star Wars Hasbro The Black Series Darth Vader Force FX Elite Lightsaber with Advanced LED for $195 (was $279) at Amazon
• Funko Pop! Vinyl: Star Wars – Darth Vader, Stormtrooper, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Chewbacca – 5 Pack for $28 (was $70) at Amazon
• Hot Wheels Racerverse, Star Wars Track Set for $21 (was $30) at Amazon
• Star Wars The Black Series The Mandalorian Artillery Stormtrooper Premium Electronic Helmet for $85 (was $132) at Amazon
• Funko Pop! Star Wars: The Mandalorian – Ahsoka with Lightsabers Vinyl Bobblehead for $5 (was $13) at Amazon
• Funko Pop! Deluxe Star Wars: Duel of The Fates – Darth Maul, Amazon Exclusive, Figure 1 of 3 for $12 (was $30) at Amazon
• Star Wars Grogu Plush with Beskar Armor, Soft Doll for $13 (was $18) at Amazon
• Funko Pop! Star Wars: Mandalorian 4 Pack, Amazon Exclusive for $19 (was $48) at Amazon
• NERF Star Wars Amban Phase-Pulse Blaster, The Mandalorian, Scope, 10 Official Elite Darts for $30 (was $56) at Amazon
• Star Wars The Vintage Collection The Bad Batch Special 4-Pack for $44 (was $56) at Amazon
• Funko Pop! Deluxe: Star Wars Duel of The Fates – Qui-Gon Jinn, Amazon Exclusive, Figure 3 of 3 for $12 (was $30) at Amazon
• Star Wars SW VIN Boba Fett Starship for $140 (was $200) at Amazon
• NERF Star Wars Amban Phase-Pulse Blaster, The Mandalorian, Scope with Illuminated Lens for $67 (was $126) at Amazon
• Star Wars The Vintage Collection OBI-Wan Kenobi Multipack Toys for $46 (was $51) at Amazon
• Star Wars The Black Series Carbonized Collection Emperor’s Royal Guard & TIE Pilot, Return of The Jedi 6-Inch Action Figures for $49 (was $70) at Amazon
• Funko POP Deluxe Star Wars: The Mandalorian – The Child with Canister for $12 (was $30) at Amazon
• Star Wars The Black Series Cad Bane (Bracca) Toy 6-Inch for $19 (was $28) at Amazon
• Star Wars Retro Collection 4-LOM & Zuckuss, 2-Pack for $19 (was $28) at Amazon
• Funko Pop! Star Wars: The Mandalorian – Hooded Ahsoka with Dual Sabers Vinyl Bobblehead for $5 (was $13) at Amazon
• Funko Pop! Star Wars: Power of The Galaxy – Rey for $5 (was $13) at Amazon
• Star Wars Rebellion Board Game for $70 (was $88) at Amazon
• Funko Pop! Star Wars: Book of Boba Fett – Boba Fett Vinyl Bobblehead for $5 (was $13) at Amazon
• Star Wars Outer Rim Board Game for $42 (was $61) at Amazon
• Star Wars Legion Board Game (Base) for $76 (was $120) at Amazon
• Monopoly: Star Wars Boba Fett Edition Board Game for $13 (was $22) at Amazon
• Buffalo Games – Star Wars – Leave That to Me! – 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle for $12 (was $15) at Amazon
• Atomic Mass Games Star Wars Legion Blizzard Force Expansion for $84 (was $150) at Amazon
• Star Wars Imperial Assault Board Game Return to Hoth EXPANSION for $36 (was $56) at Amazon
• Z-Man Games Jabba’s Palace A Love Letter Game for $12 (was $15) at Amazon
• Star Wars Legion AAT Trade Federation Tank Expansion for $36 (was $70) at Amazon
• Star Wars UNLOCK! The Escape Game for $26 (was $35) at Amazon
• Atomic Mass Games Star Wars Legion NR-N99 Persuader-Class Tank Droid Unit Expansion for $31 (was $60) at Amazon
• Star Wars The Black Series Phase II Clone Trooper Premium Electronic Helmet for $81 (was $132) at Amazon
• Tamagotchi nano x Star Wars – R2-D2 Tamagotchi for $10 (was $20) at Amazon

Board and card games

• Catan Board Game 5-6 Player EXTENSION for $19 (was $25) at Amazon
• Catan Studio: Rivals for Catan Card Game for 2 Players (Base Game) for $21 (was $25) at Amazon
• Catan Explorers and Pirates Board Game Extension for $20 (was $55) at Amazon
• Catan Traders and Barbarians Board Game Extension for $27 (was $60) at Amazon
• A Game of Thrones Catan Board Game (Base Game) for $58 (was $80) at Amazon
• Catan Dice Game for $8 (was $15) at Amazon
• Catan Explorers and Pirates Board Game Extension for $20 (was $32) at Amazon
• Catan (Base Game) Adventure Board Game for $26 (was $49) at Amazon
• Who Can Do It – Compete with Your Friends to Win These Challenges for $13 (was $24) at Amazon
• 7 Wonders Architects | Strategy Game for $39 (was $50) at Amazon
• Lost Cities Card Game – with 6th Expedition for $16 (was $20) at Amazon
• DSS Games Call 911! – A Guessing Game of Unexpected Emergencies for The Whole Family for $14 (was $20) at Amazon
• Stonemaier Games Tuscany Essential Edition Board Game for $16 (was $30) at Amazon
• Days of Wonder Ticket to Ride United Kingdom + Pennsylvania Board Game EXPANSION Strategy Game for $26 (was $40) at Amazon
• Royal Bingo Supplies Bingo Game Set for $18 (was $28) at Amazon
• WHAT DO YOU MEME? New Phone, Who Dis? Bad Advice Expansion Pack for $10 (was $15) at Amazon
• BestSelf Icebreaker Deeper Talk Deck for $19 (was $25) at Amazon
• WHAT DO YOU MEME? Better Than Yesterday – A Mindfulness Game and Case Kenny for $19 (was $25) at Amazon
• Hasbro Gaming Hasbro Clue Game; Incudes The Ghost of Mrs. White; Compatible with Alexa for $9 (was $13) at Amazon
• Azul Master Chocolatier Board Game for $34 (was $45) at Amazon
• Renegade Game Studios Diplomacy – Renegade, Europe 20th Century Strategy Board Game of Alliances & Betrayal for $29 (was $45) at Amazon
• Bamboozled – A Hilariously Fun Bluffing Dice & Card Game for $17 (was $22) at Amazon
• Drinkopoly Party-Game for $28 (was $35) at Amazon
• Format Games Karen Party Game | Hilarious Game of One Star Reviews for $17 (was $25) at Amazon
• Concept Party Game | Award-Winning Board Game for $33 (was $45) at Amazon
• Rebel Nemesis Lockdown Board Game for $120 (was $164) at Amazon
• Challengers Card Game for $26 (was $34) at Amazon
• Tokaido Board Game Deluxe Edition for $60 (was $100) at Amazon

Enlarge / Intel’s Alchemist GPU silicon, the heart of the Arc A750, A770, and now, the A580. (credit: Intel)

Today Intel is quietly releasing another GPU into that same midrange milieu, the Arc A580. Priced starting at $179, the card aims to compete with lower-end last-gen GPUs like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 or AMD Radeon RX 6600, cards currently available for around $200 that aim to provide a solid 1080p gaming experience (though sometimes with a setting or two turned down for newer and more demanding games).

The A580 is based on the exact same Alchemist silicon as the Arc A750 and A770, but with just 24 of the Xe graphics cores enabled, instead of 28 for the A750 and 32 for the A770. That does mean it has the exact same 256-bit memory bus as those higher-end cards, attached to a serviceable-for-the-price 8GB pool of GDDR6 RAM. Reviews from outlets like Tom’s Hardware generally show the A580 beating the RTX 3050 and RX 6600 in most games, but falling a little short of the RTX 3060 and RX 7600 (to say nothing of the RTX 4060, which beats the Arc A750 and A770 in most games).

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images)

Big tech companies like Microsoft and Google are grappling with the challenge of turning AI products like ChatGPT into a profitable enterprise, reports The Wall Street Journal. While companies are heavily investing in AI tech that can generate business memos or code, the cost of running advanced AI models is proving a significant hurdle. Some services, like Microsoft’s GitHub Copilot, drive significant operational losses.

Generative AI models used for creating text are not cheap to operate. Large language models (LLM) like the ones that power ChatGPT require powerful servers with high-end, energy-consuming chips. For example, we recently cited a Reuters report with analysis that claimed each ChatGPT query may cost 4 cents to run. As a result, Adam Selipsky, the chief executive of Amazon Web Services, told the Journal that many corporate customers are unhappy with the high running costs of these AI models.

The current cost challenge is tied to the nature of AI computations, which often require new calculations for each query, unlike standard software that enjoys economies of scale. This makes flat-fee models for AI services risky, as increasing customer usage can drive up operational costs and lead to potential losses for the company.

Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days event has finally landed, bringing with it a watershed of savings that includes some of the best gaming deals of the season. Whether you’re eyeing a creative game like Mario Maker 2, an epic adventure like Elden Ring or even a new headset or controller, our list below has the gaming gear you need to prepare for the long cold months ahead.

Nintendo Switch games

Team Nintendo! (credit: Nintendo)

• Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope – Standard Edition for $20 (was $60) at Amazon
• Ring Fit Adventure – Nintendo Switch for $50 (was $80) at Amazon
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge – Nintendo Switch for $23 (was $35) at Amazon
• Wonder Boy – Asha in Monster World – Nintendo Switch for $36 (was $40) at Amazon
• Octopath Traveler II – Nintendo Switch for $43 (was $60) at Amazon
• Super Mario Maker 2 – US Version for $40 (was $60) at Amazon
• Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening – Nintendo Switch for $49 (was $60) at Amazon
• Cuphead – Nintendo Switch for $25 (was $40) at Amazon
• Mario Golf: Super Rush – Nintendo Switch for $40 (was $60) at Amazon
• Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion – Nintendo Switch for $43 (was $50) at Amazon
• Gang Beasts – Nintendo Switch for $25 (was $35) at Amazon
• Sonic Mania + Team Sonic Racing Double Pack – Nintendo Switch for $25 (was $40) at Amazon
• AEW: Fight Forever – Nintendo Switch for $40 (was $60) at Amazon
• Theatrhythm Final Bar Line – Nintendo Switch for $35 (was $50) at Amazon
• Dragon Quest Treasures – Nintendo Switch for $35 (was $50) at Amazon
• Rune Factory 5 – Nintendo Switch for $20 (was $40) at Amazon
• Disney Magical World 2: Enchanted Edition – Nintendo Switch for $25 (was $50) at Amazon
• Knockout Home Fitness – Nintendo Switch for $20 (was $30) at Amazon
• Ori: The Collection – Nintendo Switch for $25 (was $30) at Amazon
• Bayonetta 3 – Nintendo Switch for $37 (was $60) at Amazon
• Trinity Trigger – Day 1 Edition – Nintendo Switch for $30 (was $50) at Amazon

PlayStation Games

Team Sony!

• God of War Ragnarok for $50 (was $70) at Amazon
• Diablo IV – PlayStation 5 for $50 (was $70) at Amazon
• Madden NFL 24 – PlayStation 5 for $43 (was $70) at Amazon
• Elden Ring – PlayStation 5 for $40 (was $60) at Amazon
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge – PlayStation 4 for $25 (was $35) at Amazon
• Five Nights at Freddy’s: The Core Collection – PlayStation 4 for $19 (was $35) at Amazon
• AEW: Fight Forever – PlayStation 5 for $40 (was $60) at Amazon
• Call of Duty Modern Warfare II – PlayStation 5 for $38 (was $70) at Amazon
• Octopath Traveler II – PlayStation 5 for $29 (was $60) at Amazon
• Star Ocean The Divine Force – PlayStation 5 for $25 (was $40) at Amazon
• Dying Light 2 Stay Human – PlayStation 5 for $25 (was $60) at Amazon
• One Piece Odyssey – PlayStation 5 for $25 (was $40) at Amazon

Xbox Games

Team Microsoft! (credit: Microsoft)

• Madden NFL 24 – Xbox Series X and Xbox One for $43 (was $70) at Amazon
• Diablo IV – Xbox Series X for $47 (was $70) at Amazon
• AEW: FIght Forever – Xbox Series X or Series S for $40 (was $60) at Amazon
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II – Xbox Series X and Xbox One for $38 (was $70) at Amazon
• Dying Light 2 Stay Human – Xbox Series X for $25 (was $60) at Amazon
• Five Nights at Freddy’s: The Core Collection – Xbox One for $25 (was $40) at Amazon
• The Crew Motorfest Limited Edition – Xbox Series X for $50 (was $70) at Amazon
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge – Xbox One for $25 (was $35) at Amazon
• Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion – Xbox Series X and Xbox One for $25 (was $50) at Amazon

Video game accessories

• Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Wireless Gaming Headset for PlayStation for $76 (was $150) at Amazon
• BACKBONE One Mobile Gaming Controller for Android and iPhone 15 Series (USB-C) for $70 (was $100) at Amazon
• JBL Quantum 400 Over Ear Gaming Headphones with USB for $65 (was $100) at Amazon
• Logitech G535 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Headset for $80 (was $130) at Amazon
• Logitech G435 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Headset for $45 (was $80) at Amazon
• Corsair HS70 Pro Wireless Gaming Headset for $80 (was $110) at Amazon
• SanDisk 1TB microSDXC-Card Licensed for Nintendo Switch for $100 (was $150) at Amazon
• Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! — Nintendo Switch for $32 (was $40) at Amazon
• BACKBONE One Mobile Gaming Controller for Android and iPhone 15 Series (USB-C) for $70 (was $100) at Amazon
• Wireless Switch Controller for Nintendo Switch/Lite/OLED Controller for $23 (was $29) at Amazon
• daydayup Switch Carrying Case Compatible with Nintendo Switch/Switch OLED for $20 (was $26) at Amazon
• Gammeefy Switch Controller for Switch/OLED, One-Piece Joypad Controller Replacement for Switch Pro Controller for $38 (was $45) at Amazon
• Orzly Accessory Bundle Kit Designed for Nintendo Switch for $42 (was $70) at Amazon
• Nintendo Switch Accessories Bundle, Switch Controllers Joy-Con Grips for $26 (was $36) at Amazon
• GameSir X2 Type-C Mobile Gaming Controller for $40 (was $50) at Amazon

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Enlarge / Unity developers won’t have John Riccitiello to kick around anymore. (credit: Getty Images)

Following weeks of controversy, partial walkbacks, and apologies surrounding a new fee-based business structure for the Unity engine, game developers and financial markets have responded overwhelmingly positively to the recent news of Unity CEO John Riccitiello’s sudden retirement. But that departure may not be enough to restore trust for many developers who have already moved on to other engines.

“Long, long overdue,” Gloomwood developer Dillon Rogers wrote, summing up joyful reactions to Riccitiello’s departure from across the game development community.

Necrosoft Games’ Brandon Sheffield (Demonschool), who was one of the most outspoken critics of Unity’s initial install-fee plans, wrote on social media that he “truly did not think [Riccitiello’s departure] would happen.” The CEO’s apparent ouster “is the main thing Unity needed to do to start rebuilding trust, so… it’s a start,” Sheffield continued.

Enlarge / Bose’s QuietComfort 45 wireless noise-canceling headphones. (credit: Jeff Dunn)

Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sales event is in full effect, and with it comes a slew of excellent headphone deals across a wide range of options. Whether you’ve been looking for the best noise-canceling earbuds on the market in the Bose QuietComfort II, a pair of the indomitable AirPods Pro (gen 2), or even some great gaming cans from JBL, our list below has all the best headphone deals available during Amazon’s sale.

Headphones deals

Bose’s QuietComfort 45 noise-canceling headphones. (credit: Jeff Dunn)

• Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Premium Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones for $248 (was $348) at Amazon
• Bose QuietComfort 45 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones for $231 (was $329) at Amazon
• Apple AirPods Max Wireless Over-Ear Headphones with Active Noise Canceling for $499 (was $549) at Amazon
• Beats Solo 3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones for $100 (was $200) at Amazon
• Shure Aonic 40 Over Ear Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones for $99 (was $319) at Amazon
• Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones for $324 (was $499) at Amazon
• Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Headphones with Adaptive Noise Cancellation for $300 (was $400) at Amazon
• Anker Soundcore Life Q20+ Noise Canceling Headphones for $50 (was $70) at Amazon
• Poly Voyager 4320 UC Wireless Headset & Charge Stand for $139 (was $170) at Amazon
• JBL Quantum 400 Over Ear Gaming Headphones with USB for $65 (was $100) at Amazon
• Logitech G535 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Headset for $80 (was $130) at Amazon
• Logitech G435 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Headset for $45 (was $80) at Amazon
• Corsair HS70 Pro Wireless Gaming Headset for $80 (was $110) at Amazon

Earbuds deals

If you’d like to see how Pixel Buds Pro look as part of professionally staged promotional photos, Google has your back. Here’s “charcoal.” (credit: Google)

• Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen/Lightning) Wireless Earbuds with Active Noise Cancelling for $189 (was $249) at Amazon
• Apple AirPods (3rd Generation) Wireless Earbuds with Lightning Charging Case for $150 (was $169) at Amazon
• Sony – WF1000XM5 True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds for $278 (was $300) at Amazon
• Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Noise Canceling Earbuds for $199 (was $279) at Amazon
• Beats Studio Buds Wireless Noise Canceling Earbuds for $90 (was $150) at Amazon
• Beats Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earbuds for $150 (was $200) at Amazon
• Beats Fit Pro Wireless Noise Canceling Earbuds for $160 (was $200) at Amazon
• Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 Noise Canceling Earbuds for $150 (was $200) at Amazon
• Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro True Wireless Earbuds with Noise Canceling for $179 (was $230) at Amazon
• Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 True Wireless Earbuds with Noise Canceling for $100 (was $150) at Amazon
• Google Pixel Buds Pro Noise Canceling Wireless Earbuds for $120 (was $200) at Amazon
• Google Pixel Buds A-Series Wireless Earbuds for $59 (was $100) at Amazon
• Oneplus Nord Buds 2 Wireless Earbuds for $38 (was $60) at Amazon
• LG Tone-FP5 Tone Free Wireless Noise Canceling Earbuds for $60 (was $130) at Amazon
• LG Tone Free T90 Wireless Noise Canceling Earbuds for $142 (was $230) at Amazon
• Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 Noise Canceling Earbuds for $89 (was $130) at Amazon

Enlarge / Elon Musk at the Viva Tech fair in Paris, France, on Friday, June 16, 2023. (credit: Getty Images | Bloomberg)

In the wake of Hamas’ deadly attacks on Israel this weekend—and the Israeli military’s response—journalists, researchers, open source intelligence (OSINT) experts, and fact-checkers rushed to verify the deluge of raw video footage and images being shared online by people on the ground. But users of X (formerly Twitter) seeking information on the conflict faced a flood of disinformation.

While all major world events are now accompanied almost instantly by a deluge of disinformation aimed at controlling the narrative, the scale and speed at which disinformation was being seeded about the Israel-Hamas conflict is unprecedented—particularly on X.