Google Deepmind Unveils New Video Model

Google DeepMind, Google's flagship AI research lab, has developed a new video model called Veo 2, a next-generation video-generating AI. Veo 2 can create two-minute-plus clips in resolutions up to 4k, which is 4x the resolution and over 6x the duration of OpenAI's Sora. The model is currently available exclusively in Google's experimental video creation tool, VideoFX, where videos are capped at 720p and eight seconds in length.

Veo 2 has several improvements over its predecessor, including an improved understanding of physics and camera controls, producing "clearer" footage with sharper textures and images. The model can also more realistically model motion, fluid dynamics, and properties of light, including different lenses and cinematic effects. Additionally, Veo 2 can generate videos in a range of styles and has an improved ability to position the virtual "camera" in the videos it generates.

Despite its advancements, Veo 2 still has some limitations, including the ability to hallucinate elements and struggling with coherence and consistency. The model also has issues with generating intricate details, fast and complex motions, and continuing to push the boundaries of realism. DeepMind is continuing to work with artists and producers to refine its video-generation models and tooling.

OpenAI Teases New Reasoning Model

OpenAI has previewed its new frontier "reasoning" models, o3 and o3-mini, which are designed to break down instructions into smaller tasks to produce stronger outcomes. The company is not releasing the models yet but is accepting applications from the research community to test them ahead of public release.

The o3 model has shown impressive performance records, surpassing its predecessor in coding tests by 22.8 percent, and outscores OpenAI's Chief Scientist in competitive programming. It has also achieved high scores in math and science benchmarks, including nearly acing a difficult math competition and achieving 87.7 percent on a benchmark for expert-level science problems.

OpenAI claims that o3 performs better than its other reasoning models in coding benchmarks, and has also announced new research on deliberative alignment, which requires the AI model to process safety decisions step-by-step. This approach has shown promising results, with o1 performing better at following safety guidelines than previous models, including GPT-4.

GitHub Launches Free Version of Copilot

GitHub has announced a free version of its Copilot code completion/AI pair programming tool, which will now ship by default with Microsoft's popular VS Code editor. This move marks a significant shift towards a freemium model, making Copilot more accessible to a wider range of developers.

The free version of Copilot has some limitations, including a cap of 2,000 code completions per month, and users are limited to two foundation models: Anthropic's Claude 3.5 Sonnet and OpenAI's GPT-4o. Additionally, the number of chat messages for Copilot Chat is limited to 50. However, developers still get access to all Copilot Extensions and skills.

GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke explained that the team analyzed Copilot usage data to determine the threshold between occasional users and professional developers. The goal is to enable more people to become developers, especially in countries where the cost of the tool is a barrier. Dohmke hopes that the free version will attract more students and developers from around the world, aligning with GitHub's mission to enable a billion users to become developers worldwide.

The move to a freemium model is likely a response to increasing competition in the AI coding tool market, where startups like Tabnine and Qodo, as well as companies like AWS, offer competing services with free plans. By making Copilot more widely available, GitHub aims to expand its reach and stay ahead in the market.

2025 Upcoming Games Release Schedule

The upcoming year of 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting one for gamers, with a wide range of titles scheduled for release across various platforms. The year will kick off with the release of Sea Fantasy on January 7, followed by other notable titles such as Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles.

February will see the release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Sid Meier's Civilization VII, and Assassin's Creed Shadows, among others. March will bring the release of Two Point Museum, Fragpunk, Suikoden 1&II HD Remaster Gate Rune, and Dunan Unification Wars.

Many more titles will be released throughout the year, including Grand Theft Auto VI, GreedFall 2: The Dying World, and Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines 2.

In addition to these specific titles, 2025 will also see the release of several games that have been given a 2025 release window but do not yet have a specific release date. These titles include games such as Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian, Borderlands 4, and Elden Ring: NightReign.

‘Sonic 3’ Deemed Series’ Best with $6.5M in Previews

Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has gotten off to a strong start, earning a franchise-best $6.5 million in Thursday previews. The film is expected to top the weekend box office with a three-day launch of $60 million to $70 million. The movie has been well-received by critics, with a franchise-best critics' score of 88 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

Sonic 3 sees the return of director Jeff Fowler and cast members Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, and James Marsden, among others. The film also introduces new characters, including Keanu Reeves as Shadow the Hedgehog. The story follows Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails as they team up to face their most powerful adversary yet.

The film's strong preview numbers and positive reviews have set it up for a successful opening weekend. With its PG rating, Sonic 3 is expected to appeal to a wide range of audiences, including families and fans of the popular video game franchise.

Monster Hunter Wilds Console Specs and Details Revealed

Capcom has revealed the performance details for Monster Hunter Wilds on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game will have two modes on PS5 and Xbox Series X: a graphics mode that targets 30fps and a frame rate mode that targets 60fps. The output resolution for both modes is 3840x2160, but the rendering resolution differs, with graphics mode using 3072x1728 and frame rate mode using 1920x1080.

On the Xbox Series S, there is only one mode, which targets a 1920x1080 resolution at 30fps. Additionally, Capcom has confirmed that there will be a day-one patch to implement PS5 Pro support, although no further details have been provided.

The development team is also working on reworking the PC specs, which were initially similar to those of Dragon's Dogma 2, a game that had performance issues at launch. However, there is no indication that Monster Hunter Wilds will suffer similar problems. The game is set to launch on February 28, 2025, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.