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OpenAI has teased , and repeatedly delayed, the release of Sora for nearly a year. On Tuesday, the company finally unveiled a fully functional version of the new video-generation model destined for public use and, despite the initial buzz, more and more early users of the release don’t seem overly impressed. And neither am I. The company first introduced Sora last February to critical acclaim for its hyperrealistic video renderings. “Sora can generate videos up to a minute long while maintaining visual quality and adherence to the user’s prompt,” OpenAI wrote in its announcement blog at the time. “The model understands not only what the user has asked for in the prompt, but also how those things exist in the physical world.” The company released more Sora-generated footage in March, this time of an elephant made of leafs , further hyping the model’s capabilities. The Sora program subsequently ran into a series of development delays, which OpenAI’s chief product officer Kevin Weil blamed in a recent Reddit AMA on the “need to perfect the model, get safety/impersonation/other things right, and scale compute.” At the same time, The Information reported that early iterations of Sora suffered from poor performance and struggled to maintain a focus on the user’s prompts, requiring up to 10 real-world minutes to generate a minute-long clip. The model was also recently leaked online by a group of disgruntled beta testers who objected to OpenAI’s “art-washing” practices , however, the company swiftly had the group’s unauthorized UI removed from Hugging Face in response. While OpenAI was tweaking and refining Sora’s performance, the company’s competition was eating its lunch. Adobe’s Firefly AI , Runway’s Gen 3 Alpha , Meta’s Movie Gen , and Kuaishou Technology’s Kling (not to mention countless free-to-use options ) proliferated throughout the internet this past year, with many offering clips of superior quality and faster inference times than what OpenAI had repeatedly promised. On Tuesday, OpenAI officially unveiled the production-ready version of Sora and released it to its $20-a-month Plus and $200-a-month (lol) Pro subscribers. Or, at least, the company did for a few hours. As technology commentator Ed Zitron noted on Bluesky Wednesday , “mere hours — maybe even less — after saying Sora was out, OpenAI stopped accepting new account registrations with no clear timeline. OpenAI bait-and-switched the entire tech media. There’s no way this company can afford to have their video generator available to the public.” For the folks who did manage to gain access, the videos that Sora managed to generate were less than impressive. As YouTube personality Marques Brownlee pointed out during his hands-on video with the model, it required multiple minutes to generate a single 20-second-long 1080p resolution clip and had significant difficulty in generating a subject’s legs and their movements, with the front and rear legs unnaturally swapping positions throughout the clip. One need only look at the generated video below of a gymnast swapping their arms, legs, and head on the fly as they tumble across a mat to see what he meant. Bluesky user Peter Labuza, who posted the gymnastics video, did not hold back on his criticism of the model, stating : “I’m sorry, but if you make a text-to-video generator and you tell it “make a cat run through a field” and you give it the starting image, and the cat simply STANDS, your generator Does Not Work.” Bluesky user Chris Offner held a similar opinion, sarcastically noting that “Sora is a data-driven physics engine” while sharing an absolutely bonkers clip of a skier defying most, if not all, known laws of physics. The Verge also tried out the model, bemoaning the fact that it still couldn’t avoid unsightly inclusions like “additional limbs or distorted objects.” Not everybody hated Sora on sight, mind you. X user Nathan Shipley showed off the model’s “remix” feature, which enables users to mask a generated video to the movements of objects in an uploaded sample. In this case, he made a generated crane’s head move in the same manner as a pair of scissors he videotaped himself holding. There’s no word yet on when the company will be able to reliably reopen account signups for interested Sora users. Whether OpenAI can court Hollywood with Sora in its current state, as Runway recently did with Gen 3 and Lionsgate , also remains to be seen. One thing remains certain, OpenAI, despite its initial lead in the AI boom, is quickly being surpassed by the rest of the industry, and lackluster product releases like what we just saw with Sora will only further harm the company’s reputation.GEORGE WASHINGTON 72, ILLINOIS STATE 64
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NoneLuke Humphries defeats Luke Littler to retain Players Championship Finals title
Two Second Cup café locations at Montreal's Jewish General Hospital have been shut down and the franchise owner's contract terminated after the individual was filmed on Friday making "hateful remarks and gestures," according to the Canadian company. In a statement posted to its social media pages, Second Cup Canada said it has "zero tolerance for hate speech." "In co-ordination with the hospital, we've shut down the franchisee's café and are terminating their franchise agreement," the statement reads. The company said it will retain the staff and continue paying them until the locations at the hospital reopen under new management. The CIUSSS West-Central Montreal, the health authority that oversees the hospital, says it was made aware of a video "containing antisemitic and hateful messaging that has been circulating on social media." "We fully support Second Cup's decision to take swift and decisive action in this matter by shutting down the franchisee's cafés and terminating their lease agreement," a statement to CBC reads. It added the CIUSSS stands "firmly against antisemitism and any other form of discrimination or hate speech." The incident follows a surge in tensions in Montreal following recent protests. On Thursday, student protesters held a rally calling for Quebec post-secondary institutions to divest from companies with ties to Israel and called on the federal government to take a stance against the war in Gaza. On Friday, three people were arrested after protests by pro-Palestinian and anti-NATO demonstrators turned violent, with protesters throwing objects at police, lighting two vehicles on fire and breaking windows. The protest was condemned by politicians of all stripes Saturday as acts of antisemitism, which one organizer rejected, saying the protests were against the actions of the state of Israel and not Jewish people.
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Beyond Bank Australia leverages Cognizant's expertise to modernize IT infrastructure and enhance operational resilience. SYDNEY and TEANECK, N.J. , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) has announced a collaboration with Beyond Bank Australia , one of Australia's largest customer-owned banks, to help revolutionize the digital banking experience. The collaboration aims to enhance operational resilience, streamline processes and improve customer experience through the implementation of innovative technology solutions. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.I’m A Celebrity’s Jane Moore bravely faces first Bushtucker Trial as her panicked campmates scream in terrorStrategic alliance brings high-energy nuclear electric propulsion closer to reality
Littler, who won the Grand Slam of Darts last week, hit checkouts of 170, 164 and 136 as he threatened to overturn an early deficit, but Humphries held his nerve to win the last three legs. “I’m really, really proud of that one to be honest,” Humphries told Sky Sports. FOR THE SECOND TIME 🏆🏆 Luke Humphries retains his 2024 Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals title, beating Luke Littler 11-7 in the final. pic.twitter.com/QUhxvSbGeu — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) November 24, 2024 “I didn’t feel myself this week playing-wise, I felt like I was a dart behind in a lot of the scenarios but there’s something that Luke does to you. He really drives me, makes me want to be a better player and I enjoy playing him. “He let me in really early in that first session to go 4-1 up, I never looked back and I’m proud that I didn’t take my foot off the gas. These big games are what I live for. “Luke is a special talent and he was right – I said to him I’ve got to get these (titles) early before he wins them all. “I’d love to be up here and hitting 105 averages like Luke is all the time but he’s a different calibre, he’s probably the best player in the world right now but there’s something about me that never gives up. “This is a great way to go into the worlds.” HUMPHRIES GOES BACK-TO-BACK! 🏆 Luke Humphries retains his Players Championship Finals title! Cool Hand puts on an absolute clinic to defeat Luke Littler 11-7 in an epic final! 📺 https://t.co/AmuG0PMn18 #PCF2024 | Final pic.twitter.com/nZDWPUVjWE — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) November 24, 2024 Littler, who lost the world championship final to Humphries last year, said: “It was tough, missed a few doubles and if you don’t take chances early on, it’s a lot to come back. “I hit the 170 and the 164 but just didn’t have enough in the end. “It’s been a good past two weeks. I just can’t wait to go home, chill out, obviously practice at home for the worlds. That’s it now, leading up to the big one.”
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jumped into in the standings with a , with , twice, scoring. came off the bench to inspire Barcelona to a fifth win in six games and push Dortmund, last season's runner-up, out of the top eight. Torres came on in the 71st to replace , who had a quiet game against his former club. Just four minutes later, Torres scored a goal on the rebound from 's shot. 's second goal of the game leveled the score at 2-2 but Torres scored again in the 85th off s pass on the counter. gave Barcelona the lead before equalized from the penalty spot. Raphinha and Guirassy are tied for second place in the scoring chart on six goals, behind Lewandowski's competition-high seven. The top eight qualify directly for and the teams placed No. 9-24 go into a two-legged playoff. Danger for City Manchester City plunged deeper into trouble in the Champions League by on Wednesday, the latest setback in a scarcely believable run of poor results for the ailing English champions. City dropped to standings, with only the top 24 advancing. Progressing to the next round of the new-look format looked a certainty before the season for a team that was European champion in 2022 and has won the last four Premier League titles. But not anymore as City manager Pep Guardiola battles injuries and an apparent loss of belief among his players. City has won just one of its last 10 matches in all competitions, with goals by inflicting the latest defeat and igniting Juventus' qualification hopes. In-form Julian Alvarez Man City could sure do with at the moment. With a brilliant curling finish to open the scoring, the Argentina striker helped beat and provide a timely reminder of what City is missing after selling him for more than $100 million in August. Alvarez has 12 goals for the season, with four coming in the Champions League. scored Atletico's other two goals at Metropolitano stadium as the Spanish team climbed to 11th place after a 10th straight win in all competitions. Arsenal beat Monaco 3-0 mainly thanks to two goals by Bukayo Saka to move into third place.
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Uruguayans on Sunday voted in the second round of the country's presidential election , with the conservative governing party and a left-leaning coalition locked in a close runoff following level-headed campaigns widely seen as emblematic of the country's strong democracy. As polls closed Sunday evening, turnout stood at 89.4% — around the same as during the first round last month in which the two moderate coalitions both failed to win an outright majority. Voting in Uruguay is compulsory. Depending on how tight the vote turns out to be, electoral officials may not call the race for days — as happened in the contentious 2019 runoff that brought center-right President Luis Lacalle Pou to office and ended 15 years of rule by Uruguay’s left-leaning Broad Front by a razor-thin margin. Álvaro Delgado, the incumbent party’s candidate who won nearly 27% in the first round of voting on Oct. 27, has campaigned under the slogan “re-elect a good government." Other conservative parties that make up the government coalition — in particular, the Colorado Party that came in third place last month — notched 20% of the vote collectively, enough to give Delgado an edge over his challenger. Yamandú Orsi from the Broad Front, who took 44% of the vote in the general election, is promising to forge a “new left” in Uruguay that draws on the memory of stability and economic growth under his Broad Front coalition, which presided over pioneering social reforms that won widespread international acclaim from 2005-2020, including the legalization of abortion, same-sex marriage and sale of marijuana . With inflation easing and the economy expected to expand by some 3.2% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund, surveys show that Uruguayans remain largely satisfied with the administration of Lacalle Pou, who constitutionally cannot run for a second consecutive term. But persistent complaints about sluggish growth, stagnant wages and an upsurge in violent crime could just as easily add the small South American nation to a long list of places this year where frustrated voters have punished incumbents in elections around the world. With most polls showing a virtual tie between Delgado and Orsi, analysts say the vote may hinge on a small group of undecided voters — roughly 10% of registered voters in the nation of 3.4 million people. “Neither candidate convinced me and I feel that there are many in my same situation,” said Vanesa Gelezoglo, 31, in the capital, Montevideo, adding she would make up her mind at “the last minute.” Analysts say the candidates’ lackluster campaigns and broad consensus on key issues have generated extraordinary indecision and apathy in an election dominated by discussions about social spending and concerns over income inequality but largely free of the anti-establishment rage that has vaulted populist outsiders to power in neighboring Argentina and the United States. “The question of whether Frente Amplio (the Broad Front) raises taxes is not an existential question, unlike what we saw in the U.S. with Trump and Kamala framing each other as threats to democracy," said Nicolás Saldías, a Latin America and Caribbean senior analyst for the London-based Economist Intelligence Unit. “That doesn't exist in Uruguay.” Both candidates are also appealing to voter angst over the current government's struggle to stem the rise in violent crime that has shaken a nation long regarded as one of the region’s safest, with Delgado promising tough-on-crime policies and Orsi advocating a more community-oriented approach. Delgado, 55, a rural veterinarian with a long career in the National Party, served most recently as Secretary of the Presidency for Lacalle Pou and promises to pursue his predecessor’s pro-business policies. He would continue pushing for a trade deal with China that has raised hackles in Mercosur, an alliance of South American countries promoting regional commerce. "We have to give the government coalition a chance to consolidate its proposals,” said Ramiro Pérez, a street vendor voting for Delgado on Sunday. Orsi, 57, a former history teacher and two-time mayor from a working-class background, is widely seen as the political heir to former President José “Pepe” Mujica , an ex-Marxist guerilla who became a global icon for helping transform Uruguay into one of the region's most socially liberal and environmentally sustainable nations. “He's my candidate, not only for my sake but also for my children's,” Yeny Varone, a nurse at a polling station, said of Orsi. “In the future they'll have better working conditions, health and salaries.” Mujica, now 89 and recovering from esophageal cancer , turned up at his local polling station before balloting even began, praising Orsi's humility and Uruguay’s famous stability. “This is no small feat,” he said of Uruguay's “citizenry that respects formal institutions.” Orsi planned no dramatic changes, and, despite his call for a revitalized left-wing, his platform continues the Broad Front's traditional mix of market-friendly policies and welfare programs. He proposes tax incentives to lure investment and social security reforms that would lower the retirement age but fall short of a radical overhaul sought by Uruguay's unions. The contentious plebiscite on whether to boost pension payouts failed to pass in October, with Uruguayans rejecting generous pensions in favor of fiscal constraint. Both candidates pledged full cooperation with each other if elected. “I want (Orsi) to know that my idea is to form a government of national unity,” Delgado told reporters after casting his vote in the capital's upscale Pocitos neighborhood. He said that if he won, he and Orsi would chat on Monday over some yerba mate, the traditional herbal drink beloved by Uruguayans. Orsi described Sunday's democratic exercise as “an incredible experience" as he voted in Canelones, the sprawling town of beaches and cattle ranches just north of Montevideo where he served as mayor for a decade. “The essence of politics is agreements,” he said. “You never end up completely satisfied.” Associated Press writer Isabel DeBre in Villa Tunari, Bolivia, contributed to this report.CHARLOTTE AMALIE, Virgin Islands (AP) — Trey Autry scored 16 points off of the bench to help lead George Washington over Illinois State 72-64 on Monday night to claim a fifth-place finish at the Paradise Jam tournament in the Virgin Islands. Autry had five rebounds for the Revolutionaries (6-1). Gerald Drumgoole Jr. scored 16 points while going 4 of 9 from the floor, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and 6 for 7 from the line. Darren Buchanan Jr. shot 3 of 11 from the field and 9 for 11 from the line to finish with 15 points, while adding 10 rebounds. The Redbirds (4-3) were led by Chase Walker, who posted 18 points and two steals. Johnny Kinziger added 16 points for Illinois State. Dalton Banks also had 13 points, six rebounds and two steals. Autry scored seven points in the first half and George Washington went into the break trailing 29-27. NEXT UP George Washington's next game is Friday against VMI at home, and Illinois State visits Belmont on Wednesday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .