Google Unveils Gemini 2.0, Built for the Agentic Era

Google has announced the launch of Gemini 2.0, its most capable AI model yet. According to Sundar Pichai, Google and Alphabet CEO, Gemini 2.0 is designed to be a universal assistant that can understand more about the world around you, think multiple steps ahead, and take action on your behalf, with your supervision.

Gemini 2.0 builds on the advances of its predecessor, Gemini 1.0, which was introduced last December. The new model has native image and audio output capabilities, as well as native tool use, which will enable the development of new AI agents. Gemini 2.0 is also more multimodal, meaning it can process and understand information across text, video, images, audio, and code.

Some of the new products and features that will be powered by Gemini 2.0 include: Gemini 2.0 Flash: an experimental model that is available to all Gemini users today; Project Astra: a visual system that can identify objects and help you navigate the world; Project Mariner: an experimental Chrome extension that can use your web browser for you; Jules: AI agents that can help developers find and fix bad code; Agents in games: AI agents that can help players better play video games, such as an agent that can look at your screen and provide suggestions.

OpenAI Launches Sora Turbo to the Public

OpenAI has announced the launch of Sora, its video generation model, out of research preview. Sora is a model that can create realistic videos from text and serves as a foundation for AI that understands and simulates reality. The model has been developed to be significantly faster than its previous version and is now available as a standalone product at Sora.com to ChatGPT Plus and Pro users.

The new Sora version, Sora Turbo, allows users to generate videos up to 1080p resolution, up to 20 seconds long, and in various aspect ratios. Users can also bring their own assets to extend, remix, and blend, or generate entirely new content from text. The model comes with a new interface that makes it easier to prompt Sora with text, images, and videos, and features a storyboard tool that lets users precisely specify inputs for each frame.

Sora is included at no additional cost in the Plus account, and users can generate up to 50 videos at 480p resolution or fewer videos at 720p each month. The Pro plan includes 10x more usage, higher resolutions, and longer durations. OpenAI is also working on tailored pricing for different types of users, which will be available early next year.

Midjourney to Launch Multiplayer Worldbuilding Tool ‘Patchwork’

Midjourney, a popular AI image generation startup, is launching a new tool called "Patchwork," a multiplayer collaborative worldbuilding tool. Patchwork is a web-based app that allows users to create and share digital worlds, which can be used for storytelling, worldbuilding, and other creative purposes. The tool features a blank canvas with a variety of buttons and tools, including character, event, faction, place, prop, and random, as well as tools for saving and sharing.

In a demo livestream, Max Kreminski, leader of Midjourney's Storytelling Lab, showed how users can create new worlds by entering a text prompt and selecting one or more image styles. The tool then generates a new whiteboard with still image assets and text boxes, which can be used to create characters, scenes, and stories. Users can also link characters together and write action sequences and scene descriptions to narrate a story.

Patchwork allows for real-time collaboration, with multiple users able to work on the same shared canvas. The tool is currently available as a research preview, and users need to connect their Midjourney Discord account to their Google Account to access it. Kreminski mentioned that the long-term goal is to create fully immersive 3D virtual reality scenes, but that is likely years away.

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All Big Announcements in The Games Awards 2024

The 2024 Game Awards took place in Los Angeles' Peacock Theater, featuring new game announcements, previews, and celebrity appearances. One of the biggest announcements was the reveal of The Witcher IV, which will follow the former supporting character Ciri rather than the previous protagonist Geralt. The game will be a single-player open-world roleplaying game and marks the beginning of a new saga with Ciri as the protagonist.

Another major announcement was the unveiling of Elden Ring: Nightreign, a three-person co-op action survival game and spin-off of the popular Elden Ring. The game will have players work together to survive the "everchanging" land of Limveld and level up one of eight characters, each with their special abilities. The game is currently planned for release on PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC in 2025.

Other notable announcements included new RPG Game of Thrones: Kingsroad, a new game from Shadow of the Colossus developer genDESIGN, a first look at Borderlands 4, a new co-op game from the makers of It Takes Two, a new Virtua Fighter game from Yakuza's studio, a retro sci-fi game called Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet from The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog. The event also featured the announcement of Astro Bot as the Game of the Year 2024, which took home the most trophies after winning Best Game Direction, Best Action/Adventure Game, and Best Family Game.

Marvel Rivals Flies High with 10M Players on Launch Weekend

Marvel Rivals, a free-to-play hero shooter, has achieved a significant milestone with 10 million players logging on across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S in its first weekend. The game's developer, NetEase, expressed its gratitude to the players on Twitter, highlighting the "incredible milestone" achieved by the game.

According to data from SteamDB, Marvel Rivals opened to over 444,000 concurrent players on Steam on December 6, becoming the platform's top-seller and second most-played game that same day. The game's peak on Steam currently stands at 480,990 players, making it a notable competitor to other hero shooters such as Overwatch 2 and Valorant.

In comparison to other recent Marvel and hero shooter games, Marvel Rivals has surpassed Overwatch 2's peak of 75,608 players on Steam. However, it still trails behind EA's Apex Legends, which achieved a peak of 624,473 players on Steam last year. Despite this, Marvel Rivals' strong launch suggests that it is a significant player in the free-to-play space for PC and consoles.

Epic Games Partners with Telefónica to Pre-install Epic Games Store and Fortnite on Android Devices

Epic Games has partnered with Telefónica, a leading global telecommunications provider, to make Fortnite and the Epic Games Store pre-installed apps on Android devices. The partnership, which extends to 2025, will cover compatible Android devices on Telefónica's network in Spain, the UK, Germany, and Spanish-speaking Latin America.

As part of the deal, players will soon be able to download third-party games in addition to Epic's apps, such as Fortnite and Rocket League Sideswipe. This move aims to simplify access to games for users, providing them with a seamless gaming experience on their Android devices.

The partnership also marks a significant milestone for Telefónica, which serves over 390 million customers worldwide. According to Lorena Itziar Senador-Gómez Lázaro, Telefónica's director of partnerships and devices, the collaboration with Epic Games strengthens their relationship and delivers high-quality, accessible, and innovative digital experiences to their customers.

Epic Games director of growth partnerships Michael Modon expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating that it will bring even more benefits to players. The two companies have previously collaborated on an interactive music experience in Fortnite, which attracted over 10.8 million players.

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How Much Risk Google's Quantum Chip Poses on Crypto

The development of Google's new quantum computing chip, Willow, has sparked concerns about the potential threat to crypto encryption. However, experts believe that the threat is still some way off. According to Kevin Rose, a tech entrepreneur and former senior product manager for Google, estimates suggest that a quantum computer with approximately 13 million qubits would be required to compromise Bitcoin's encryption within 24 hours.

In contrast, Google's Willow chip comprises just 105 qubits, which is a significant shortfall from the estimated requirement. This means that, at present, there is no immediate threat to crypto encryption from Google's quantum computing chip. Rose's assessment suggests that the crypto industry has some time to prepare for the potential risks associated with quantum computing.

David Marcus, CEO of payment platform Lightspark, also weighed in on the issue, stating that the breakthrough by Google means "post-quantum cryptography and encryption need to get moving." However, this is a long-term concern, and the crypto industry is already exploring ways to mitigate the risks associated with quantum computing. For example, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed a way to mitigate the risk of quantum computing for Ethereum, which involves a simple hard fork and the download of new wallet software.

Treasure Launches Gaming Chain on ZKsync, Kicks off with Free ‘Cartdriges’ NFT Mint

Treasure, a crypto gaming ecosystem, has launched its own Ethereum layer-2 chain via ZKsync, marking its departure from Arbitrum. This move will allow Treasure to build a network tailored to its gaming-specific needs, opening up new possibilities for gamers. The new network will natively use Treasure's MAGIC token and will enable features such as gasless transactions, social account creation, and specialized infrastructure for game economies.

The creation of the gaming-specific layer-2 network is a deliberate decision by Treasure to prioritize its needs and cultivate a specific culture and distribution flywheel. According to Treasure co-founder Karel Vuong, general layer-2s don't prioritize gaming-specific features, and a gaming-first approach is required. The new network will also enable Treasure's Game Exchange system, which allows players to trade assets, provide liquidity, and earn rewards natively within a game client.

The move to ZKsync's network is a significant shift for Treasure, which had previously doubled down on Arbitrum. However, Vuong explained that the technical needs of Treasure have evolved, and ZKsync's capabilities, such as native account abstraction and ZK-based scalability, have made it the right choice. The launch of the new network is already ahead of schedule, and Treasure is expecting several games to launch on the network by the end of the year, with more to come in Q1 2025.

Texas Legislation Introduces Bill for Bitcoin Strategic Reserve

A bill has been introduced in the Texas legislature to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve, mirroring efforts on the national level in the United States. The proposed bill, H.B. No. 1598, was introduced by Texas State Representative Giovanni Capriglione and seeks to build up a supply of Bitcoin for the state, with the funds held for at least five years without being sold.

The bill aims to provide Texans with enhanced financial security and aligns with the state's commitment to fostering innovation in digital assets. The cryptocurrency will be held in cold storage and will not be used to make transactions outside of the state or abroad. The comptroller will also prohibit transactions involving foreign countries, entities, or individuals outside of Texas, or entities or individuals known to engage in illegal activities.

The idea of a strategic Bitcoin reserve has been gaining traction, with some politicians calling for the government to hold Bitcoin in reserves, similar to gold. Senator Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming proposed a bill earlier this year to establish such a program for the United States. The U.S. government already has a large stash of Bitcoin seized from criminals, with current holdings estimated to be over 198,000 Bitcoin, worth over $20 billion at today's prices.

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