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Anthropic CEO says spies are after $100M AI secrets in a ‘few lines of code’

Avery Winslow
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Anthropic CEO says spies are after 0M AI secrets in a ‘few lines of code’

AI Fears and Government Intervention

CEO Warns of AI "Algorithmic Secrets" Being Stolen by China

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, has expressed concerns that top AI companies in the US are being targeted by spies, likely from China, who are trying to steal their "algorithmic secrets". He believes that the US government should intervene to help defend against this risk.

Large-Scale Industrial Espionage

Amodei spoke at a Council on Foreign Relations event, stating that China is known for its "large-scale industrial espionage" and that AI companies like Anthropic are likely targets. He emphasized that these "algorithmic secrets" are extremely valuable, with some worth millions of dollars, and that it’s possible that China is succeeding in stealing them.

Urgent Need for Government Action

Amodei emphasized that the US government needs to take action to help defend against this risk. He did not specify exactly what kind of help would be required, but stated that it is "very important" for the government to take a more active role in protecting AI companies from foreign espionage.

Anthropic’s Recommendations

Anthropic has submitted recommendations to the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) earlier this month. The company suggests that the federal government should partner with AI industry leaders to increase security at frontier AI labs, including working with US intelligence agencies and their allies.

Criticism from the AI Community

Amodei’s concerns have been met with criticism from some in the AI community, who argue that the US and China should collaborate more on AI development to avoid an arms race that could result in the creation of an uncontrollable AI system.

Conclusion

The concerns raised by Dario Amodei highlight the need for the US government to take a proactive role in protecting the intellectual property of top AI companies. The stakes are high, with "algorithmic secrets" worth millions of dollars at risk of being stolen. The government must work with industry leaders to increase security at frontier AI labs and prevent these valuable ideas from falling into the wrong hands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the nature of the algorithmic secrets being stolen?
A: These are valuable pieces of code that are worth millions of dollars to the company that owns them.

Q: Who is behind the theft of these algorithmic secrets?
A: Amodei believes that it is likely Chinese spies who are responsible for stealing these secrets.

Q: What does Amodei suggest the US government do to address this issue?
A: Amodei recommends that the US government partner with AI industry leaders to increase security at frontier AI labs, including working with US intelligence agencies and their allies.

Q: What is the concern about China’s use of AI?
A: Amodei is concerned that China will use AI for authoritarian and military purposes, and that this could have negative consequences for the world.

DeepMind Unveils New AI Models for Useful Robots

Parker Lennox
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DeepMind Unveils New AI Models for Useful Robots

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Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

Artificial Intelligence Models for Robotics

Google DeepMind has unveiled artificial intelligence models for robotics that it hailed as a milestone in the long quest to make the general-purpose machines more useful and practical in the everyday world.

New Robotics Models

The company’s new robotics models, called Gemini Robotics and Gemini Robotics-ER, are designed to help robots adapt to complex environments by taking advantage of the reasoning capabilities of large language models to complete complicated real-world tasks.

Real-World Tasks

According to Google DeepMind, a robot trained using its new models was able to:

  • Fold an origami fox
  • Organize a desk according to verbal instructions
  • Wrap headphone wires
  • Slam dunk a miniature basketball through a hoop
  • Partner with start-up Apptronik to build humanoid robots using this technology

Industry Insights

The development comes as tech groups, including Tesla and OpenAI, and start-ups are racing to build the AI “brain” that can autonomously operate robotics in moves that could transform a range of industries, from manufacturing to healthcare.

**Jensen Huang, chief executive of chipmaker Nvidia, said this year that the use of generative AI to deploy robots at scale represents a multitrillion-dollar opportunity that will “pave the way to “the largest technology industry the world has ever seen”.”

Progress in Robotics

Progress in advanced robotics has been painstakingly slow in recent decades, with scientists manually coding each move a robot makes. Thanks to new AI techniques, scientists have been able to train robots to adapt better to their surroundings and learn new skills much faster.

Creating the Gemini Robotics Model

To create the Gemini Robotics model, Google used its Gemini 2.0 language model and trained it specifically to control robots. This gave robots a boost in performance and allowed them to do three things:

  • Adjust to different new situations
  • Respond quickly to verbal instructions or changes in their environment
  • Be dexterous enough to manipulate objects

Adaptability

Such adaptability would be a boon for those developing the technology, as one big obstacle for robotics is that they perform well in laboratories, but poorly in less tightly controlled settings.

Conclusion

The development of Google DeepMind’s Gemini Robotics model is an exciting step towards creating general-purpose robots that can adapt to complex environments and complete real-world tasks. While much remains to be done before these robots are ready for adoption, the potential is vast, with the possibility of transforming industries and transforming the way we live and work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the capabilities of the Gemini Robotics model?
A: The Gemini Robotics model can adjust to different new situations, respond quickly to verbal instructions or changes in their environment, and be dexterous enough to manipulate objects.

Q: How does the Gemini Robotics model work?
A: The Gemini Robotics model uses the Gemini 2.0 language model and is trained specifically to control robots, giving them a boost in performance and allowing them to complete real-world tasks.

Q: What is the potential impact of the Gemini Robotics model?
A: The Gemini Robotics model has the potential to transform industries, from manufacturing to healthcare, and could lead to the development of general-purpose robots that can adapt to complex environments and complete real-world tasks.

Launch Your DEV Community

Parker Lennox
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Launch Your DEV Community

Why We’re Planning a Launch Week

I joined Bucket last January, and one thing stands out: This team ships. It ships really fast. In the last 12 months, the team released 38 product updates. We write changelogs and thoughtfully share them on LinkedIn and Twitter/X. People often tell us: "I’ve been following you for a long time and am impressed with how much you ship."

This year, we’re gearing up. We have so much to announce that we decided to run a launch week — a week of announcing new features.

The Shaping Phase

We had opinions on how we wanted to plan this launch week. We wanted to:

  1. Launch in the next 6 weeks
  2. Launch with another dev-first company to increase reach
  3. And above all, we didn’t want to hold back feature releases

First, we listed the projects we wanted to build and prioritized them by appetite. Then we started building. Four weeks in, we reflected on what we could ship on time and what would require more time to craft.

Warming Up

As soon as we committed to a calendar and release dates, we started raising awareness and building momentum. At Bucket, we value craftsmanship. We spent time on pixels, agreed on a visual direction 2 weeks ahead, and started posting on socials.

Launching

Next week is launch week. We’re about to announce 5 features. To be upfront, they are new features, updates, and existing features, too — features that we think would need a spotlight.

Final Thoughts

This first-ever launch week certainly is not the last one. We believe that consistency is key, and we’ll keep launching. From the Linear Method: "By launching multiple times, you are building your story and brand over time and compounding people’s interest. Each launch builds more following, which then helps your future launches. Launching keeps reminding the market that your company exists and you’re making progress."

According to launchweek.dev, only 7 companies in the world ran 3+ launch weeks last year. 7 companies in the world. We want to be part of this shortlist. We’re planning to run 3 launch weeks by the end of this year. It starts this month, from March 17 to March 21. We also plan to be part of the Mega Launch Week later this year and plan another launch week in between.

Launch weeks are the new flagship at Bucket.

References

  1. Rory Wilding, COO of Supabase on launchweek.dev
  2. Ant Wilson, CTO and Co-founder of Supabase on How we launch at Supabase

FAQs

Q: What is the purpose of the launch week?
A: We’re announcing new features to make feature flagging a fast and joyful experience for SaaS developers.

Q: What are the goals of the launch week?
A: We want to align the team and get traction within the community.

Q: How often will Bucket be running launch weeks?
A: We plan to run 3 launch weeks by the end of this year, with the first one starting from March 17 to March 21.

Google’s AI Can Fold Delicate Origami

Emerson Blake
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Google’s AI Can Fold Delicate Origami

Google Unveils New AI Models for Controlling Robots with Delicate Precision

Introducing Gemini Robotics and Gemini Robotics-ER

On Wednesday, Google DeepMind announced two new AI models designed to control robots: Gemini Robotics and Gemini Robotics-ER. These models aim to help robots of all shapes and sizes understand and interact with the physical world more effectively and delicately, paving the way for applications such as humanoid robot assistants.

What is Embodied AI?

Creating a capable AI model that can pilot robots autonomously through novel scenarios with safety and precision has proven elusive. The industry calls this "embodied AI," a moonshot goal of Nvidia, and it remains a holy grail that could potentially turn robotics into general-use laborers in the physical world.

How Do the New AI Models Work?

Google’s new models build upon its Gemini 2.0 large language model foundation, adding capabilities specifically for robotic applications. Gemini Robotics includes what Google calls "vision-language-action" (VLA) abilities, allowing it to process visual information, understand language commands, and generate physical movements. Gemini Robotics-ER, on the other hand, focuses on "embodied reasoning" with enhanced spatial understanding, allowing roboticists to connect it to their existing robot control systems.

Real-World Applications

For example, with Gemini Robotics, you can ask a robot to "pick up the banana and put it in the basket," and it will use a camera view of the scene to recognize the banana, guiding a robotic arm to perform the action successfully. Or you might say, "fold an origami fox," and it will use its knowledge of origami and how to fold paper carefully to perform the task.

Enhanced Generalization

According to DeepMind, the new Gemini Robotics system demonstrates much stronger generalization, or the ability to perform novel tasks that it was not specifically trained to do, compared to its previous AI models. This is crucial because robots that can adapt to new scenarios without specific training could one day work in unpredictable real-world environments.

Safety and Limitations

For safety considerations, Google mentions a "layered, holistic approach" that maintains traditional robot safety measures like collision avoidance and force limitations. The company also describes developing a "Robot Constitution" framework inspired by Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics and releasing a dataset called "ASIMOV" to help researchers evaluate safety implications of robotic actions.

Conclusion

Google’s new AI models have the potential to revolutionize the robotics industry by enabling robots to understand and interact with the physical world more effectively and delicately. With the ability to perform complex physical tasks and adapt to new scenarios, these models could lead to the development of more capable and useful robots. However, it remains to be seen how these systems will perform in unpredictable real-world settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the new AI models for?
A: Gemini Robotics and Gemini Robotics-ER are designed to control robots with delicate precision.

Q: What are the key features of the new AI models?
A: Gemini Robotics includes vision-language-action (VLA) abilities, while Gemini Robotics-ER focuses on embodied reasoning with enhanced spatial understanding.

Q: What are the potential applications of these AI models?
A: These models could lead to the development of humanoid robot assistants and other robots that can perform complex physical tasks.

Q: Are the new AI models safe?
A: Google mentions a "layered, holistic approach" to safety, which includes traditional robot safety measures and a "Robot Constitution" framework inspired by Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics.

Lightweight, Multimodal, Multilingual Gemma 3 Models Are Streamlined for Performance

Jordan Waverly
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Lightweight, Multimodal, Multilingual Gemma 3 Models Are Streamlined for Performance

Building AI Systems with Foundation Models: A Delicate Balance of Resources

Building AI systems with foundation models requires a delicate balancing of resources such as memory, latency, storage, compute, and more. One size does not fit all for developers managing cost and user experience when bringing generative AI capability to the rapidly growing ecosystem of AI-powered applications.

You Need Options for High-Quality, Customizable Models

You need options for high-quality, customizable models that can support large-scale services hosted and deployed across different computing environments, from data centers to edge computing and on-device use cases.

Google DeepMind’s Gemma 3: A New Range of Multimodal and Multilingual Open Models

Google DeepMind just announced Gemma 3, a new range of multimodal and multilingual open models. Gemma 3 consists of a 1B text-only small language model (SLM) and three image-text models in sizes 4B, 12B, and 27B. You can use the models from HuggingFace and demo the 1B model in the NVIDIA API Catalog.

Experiment and Prototype with Optimized Gemma 3 Models

Explore this model in the NVIDIA API Catalog where you can experiment with your own data and configure parameters such as max tokens and sampling values for temperature and top P. The preview also generates the code you’d need in Python, NodeJS, and Bash to integrate the model into your program or workflow. If you’re using LangChain for building agents, connecting external data, or chaining actions, you can use the reusable client generated using the NVIDIA LangChain library.

Next-Level AI for Next-Gen Robotics and Edge Solutions

Each Gemma 3 model can be deployed to the NVIDIA Jetson family of embedded computing boards used for robotics and edge AI applications. The smaller variants, 1B and 4B, can be used on a device as small as the Jetson Nano. The 27B model built for high-demand applications can be served on the Jetson AGX Orin, which supports up to 275 TOPS. For more information, see the latest Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit announcement.

Ongoing Collaboration of NVIDIA and Google

Google DeepMind and NVIDIA have collaborated on each release of Gemma. NVIDIA has played a key role in optimizing models for GPUs, contributing to JAX, the Python machine learning library, Google’s XLA compiler, OpenXLA, and many more.

Advancing Community Models and Collaboration

NVIDIA is an active contributor to the open-source ecosystem and has released several hundred projects under open-source licenses. NVIDIA is committed to open models such as Gemma that promote AI transparency and let users broadly share work in AI safety and resilience. Using the NVIDIA NeMo platform, these open models can be customized and tuned on proprietary data for AI workflows across any industry.

Get Started Today

Bring your data and try out Gemma on the NVIDIA-accelerated platform at Gemma models in the NVIDIA API Catalog.

Conclusion

Building AI systems with foundation models requires a delicate balance of resources. With Gemma 3, you have options for high-quality, customizable models that can support large-scale services. By leveraging the power of NVIDIA and Google’s collaboration, you can advance community models and collaboration, and get started today.

FAQs

Q: What is Gemma 3?
A: Gemma 3 is a new range of multimodal and multilingual open models announced by Google DeepMind.

Q: What are the different variants of Gemma 3?
A: Gemma 3 consists of a 1B text-only small language model (SLM) and three image-text models in sizes 4B, 12B, and 27B.

Q: Can I use Gemma 3 on edge devices?
A: Yes, each Gemma 3 model can be deployed to the NVIDIA Jetson family of embedded computing boards used for robotics and edge AI applications.

Q: How can I get started with Gemma 3?
A: You can get started with Gemma 3 by creating a free account with the NVIDIA API Catalog, navigating to the Gemma 3 model card, choosing "Build with this NIM" and "Generate API Key," and saving the generated key as NVIDIA_API_KEY.

Amtrak’s Revamped App Makes it Easier to Find Your Train Status

Avery Winslow
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Amtrak’s Revamped App Makes it Easier to Find Your Train Status

Amtrak Revamps Mobile App with Enhanced Features

New Features for a Smoother Travel Experience

Amtrak has announced a significant update to its mobile app, designed to make it easier for customers to plan and manage their train travel. The new features aim to provide a more seamless experience, encouraging customers to choose Amtrak over other modes of transportation.

Streamlined Navigation and Improved Functionality

The updated app now allows riders to access train status and schedule changes right on the reservation screen, within 24 hours of the trip. This feature is particularly useful for customers using business class, such as Acela or other assigned seating trains, who can now choose their preferred seating during the booking process. The app also enables riders to modify part of their trip, keeping the best available fares.

Enhanced User Interface

Based on customer feedback, Amtrak has revamped the home screen to separate tickets from marketing information and messages. The new "My Trips" tab provides an easier way to view active trips and jump to upcoming or past ones. The updated app now displays a cleaner design and scrolls more smoothly, according to one user.

Conclusion

The new Amtrak app update is now available for both iOS and Android devices. By providing a more intuitive and user-friendly experience, Amtrak aims to attract more customers and encourage them to choose train travel over other options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the new features in the updated Amtrak app?
A: The new features include train status and schedule changes on the reservation screen, preferred seating selection for business class, modification of part of the trip, and a revamped user interface with a "My Trips" tab.

Q: When is the new app update available?
A: The app update is available now for both iOS and Android devices.

Q: What are the benefits of the new app?
A: The new app provides a more seamless experience, making it easier to plan and manage train travel, and encouraging customers to choose Amtrak over other modes of transportation.

As an art lover, I’d rather buy this new e-paper digital art frame than an art TV

Phil
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As an art lover, I’d rather buy this new e-paper digital art frame than an art TV

The Galari Digital Frame: A Game-Changer in the World of Art

A Game-Changer in the World of Art

I’m a fan of the Samsung Frame TV, and I consider it the best frame TV on the market. However, I may have found something better, especially if you’re looking for a digital art frame that truly looks like art rather than just another backlit screen. The Galari digital frame is an art frame that uses e-paper technology, similar to a Kindle, rather than LCD or LED, like most digital frames. This means that if you want a digital art frame that actually looks like real art, the Galari is the way to go. And that’s for $445 from Kickstarter right now, and $699 when it becomes commercially available.

A Different Approach to Digital Frames

The Galari frame’s e-paper technology is more than just a marketing point of difference. It’s a deliberate choice to create a product that is not only visually stunning but also blends seamlessly into its surroundings. As Galari co-founder Sushi Suzuki notes, "Humans are naturally drawn to light sources, so having a light source in your living space just doesn’t feel right. It keeps clawing for your attention. I think they work fine in loud environments like public spaces and offices, but at home, where you spend half your time relaxing?!"

A New Era of "Calm Tech"

The Galari frame is a great example of "calm tech" – technology that doesn’t try to win you over but rather subtly complements its surroundings. This is in contrast to the Samsung Frame TV, which, despite its matte finish, still looks like a screen displaying art. The Galari, on the other hand, seems to disappear into its surroundings, leaving only the art to be appreciated.

A Successful Kickstarter Campaign

The Galari frame has been a massive success on Kickstarter, with over £205,000 pledged of the £15,800 goal. Each model comes with a wooden frame and a photo matte that frames the image further. The frame is also free of visible plastic on the front, adding to its artistic aesthetic.

Why the Galari is a Game-Changer

Sushi Suzuki believes that the popularity of the Galari frame can be attributed to its ability to provide a sense of calm in a world filled with technology. "More than ten years ago, while working in Germany for Panasonic, I was part of a research team studying how people live at home," he says. "One thing that stood out to me was how much effort people put into hiding technology in their living spaces." And it wasn’t just the consumer. "Companies went to great lengths to remove buttons from built-in kitchen appliances, refrigerators were concealed behind cabinet doors, and some people even covered their unused TVs with tapestry."

Conclusion

The Galari digital frame is a game-changer in the world of art, offering a unique and innovative approach to digital frames. Its use of e-paper technology and attention to detail make it a must-have for art lovers. With its massive success on Kickstarter, it’s clear that there is a demand for technology that doesn’t try to steal the show but rather enhances the art. The Galari frame is a testament to the power of "calm tech" and its ability to bring people together through art.

FAQs

Q: What is the price of the Galari digital frame?
A: The Galari digital frame is available for $445 on Kickstarter and $699 when it becomes commercially available.

Q: What is the difference between the Galari frame and other digital frames?
A: The Galari frame uses e-paper technology, which is different from LCD or LED technology used in most digital frames. This allows the frame to display black and white images without a backlight, making it look like a traditional art piece.

Q: Is the Galari frame suitable for a living room or bedroom?
A: Yes, the Galari frame is perfect for a living room or bedroom, as it blends seamlessly into its surroundings and doesn’t draw attention to itself.

Q: Is the Galari frame available in different sizes?
A: Yes, the Galari frame is available in different sizes, including 8×10, 11×14, and 16×20 inches.

Q: Can I customize the frame with my own artwork?
A: Yes, the Galari frame allows you to upload your own artwork, making it a unique and personalized piece of art.

Yale Scholar Banned After A.I. News Site Accuses Her of Terrorist Link

Avery Winslow
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Yale Scholar Banned After A.I. News Site Accuses Her of Terrorist Link

Yale’s Deputy Director of Project Barred from Campus, Accused of Ties to Sanctioned Group

Background

Helyeh Doutaghi, a scholar in international law, started her new job as the deputy director of a project at Yale Law School in 2023. As an activist who had championed pro-Palestinian causes in both published papers and public appearances, Dr. Doutaghi seemed to fit into the left-leaning mission of the Law and Political Economy Project, which promoted itself as working for "economic, racial, and gender equality."

Accusations and Consequences

Last week, she was abruptly barred from Yale’s campus in New Haven, Conn., and placed on administrative leave. Yale officials cited the reason as allegations that she was tied to entities subject to U.S. sanctions. It was an apparent reference to Samidoun, a pro-Palestinian group placed on the U.S. sanctions list last year, after the Treasury Department designated it a "sham charity" raising money for a terrorist organization, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Controversy Surrounding Jewish Onliner

The decision came three days after a news site, powered at least in part by artificial intelligence, published a story about Dr. Doutaghi’s connections to the group. The news site called her a member of a terrorist group, citing postings referring to appearances she made on panels at Samidoun-sponsored events, but a lawyer for Dr. Doutaghi said she is not a member of Samidoun, a global organization that sponsors meetings and protests supporting Palestinian causes.

Dr. Doutaghi’s Response

In an interview, Dr. Doutaghi, 30, called herself a "loud and proud" supporter of Palestinian rights. "I am a scholar," she said, adding, "I am not a member of any organization that would constitute a violation of U.S. law."

Yale’s Statement

In a statement, Yale Law School described the allegations against Dr. Doutaghi as reflecting "potential unlawful conduct." The school said it had opened an investigation into the matter to ascertain the facts and that the action was not taken based on her protected speech.

Conclusion

The swift action against Dr. Doutaghi illustrates the tightrope American universities are walking as the Trump administration takes aim at higher education. The incident has raised concerns about the impact of U.S. sanctions on academic freedom and the potential for political bias in the investigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Samidoun?
A: Samidoun is a pro-Palestinian group placed on the U.S. sanctions list last year, after the Treasury Department designated it a "sham charity" raising money for a terrorist organization, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Q: Is Dr. Doutaghi a member of Samidoun?
A: No, according to her lawyer, Dr. Doutaghi is not a member of Samidoun.

Q: What is the Law and Political Economy Project?
A: The Law and Political Economy Project is a project at Yale Law School that promotes itself as working for "economic, racial, and gender equality."

Q: Why was Dr. Doutaghi barred from campus?
A: Yale officials cited allegations that she was tied to entities subject to U.S. sanctions, specifically Samidoun.

How to Create a Lightning Effect in Adobe After Effects Easy Way

Phil
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How to Create a Lightning Effect in Adobe After Effects Easy Way

Organizing Plates and other elements

To get started, import your background plate into After Effects. You can drag and drop it into the timeline. If a dialog box opens, set the elements like length and size here, and give it a name. Use a name to help you stay organized, in case you end up with lots of layers. This is likely to be at the bottom of the stack. This is also a good time to add any other elements, such as particles to add rain.

Defining the lightning’s path

Make sure nothing is selected, otherwise you’ll create a mask, and then press ‘G’ to begin using the Pen tool. Now draw a rough path for your lightning strike. You can tweak this later on, but for now define a general direction and add a few points to offer some interest. It’s worth looking up references if you’re going for realism. We’ll add Sub-paths for details later, as lightning rarely has a single bolt, but it’s much easier to duplicate and tweak a finished path. Rename this layer to "lightning".

Timing the bolt

We need to animate the lightning, so select the shape layer and open it up so you can see the path. Click on the Add button to bring in a Trim Path. Here you can add keyframes to the start and end of the lightning. Again, references are useful for this. Often the starting point will need to animate down differently from the end, or you’ll have an odd, disconnected bolt. Easing the end keyframes works well too. To do that, select the frames on the timeline and press F9.

Starting and ending the glow

To help the lightning sit better in the scene, you’ll need to add some lighting where it leaves the clouds and hits the floor. There are many ways to do this, but an easy one is to make a Solid with the same color as the lightning. Add a mask with a roughly oval shape and a large Feather amount, then add a Glow to it. Hit ‘M’ to open up the Mask properties and keyframe the opacity so the light patch is strongest at the moment of impact. I duplicated my layer and tweaked the masks to create a central hotspot.

Binding it all together

Now the lightning is done, all that’s left is to add a few last effects to bring it all together. Create an adjustment layer and add a Lens Blur. Use a rectangle mask with a high Feather amount to add some foreground blur, which helps keep the eye towards the middle of the scene. Create a second adjustment layer and add a Film Grain to it. The default settings can be a bit much so lower them, then add a Lumetri effect, and using Curves add a gentle S-curve before lowering the highlights and lifting the blacks as you desire. This will depend on your background layer.

Rendering it out

The final step is to double check the timings of your keyframe, then render it out and bask in the glory of a job well done! Go to Composition > Add to Render Queue, then select your output format, name and location, and click on Render. Once this is done, you’ll probably want to tweak timings, as After Effects never seems to quite get the playback at the speed your end results will be. Rinse and repeat and you should be golden. Your shot is finished and can be sent to the edit.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have covered the steps to create a simple and realistic lightning effect in After Effects. We have used the Pen tool to create a rough path for the lightning strike, animated the path using Trim Paths, and added a glow effect to enhance the overall appearance of the lightning. We have also used adjustment layers to add some finishing touches, such as Lens Blur and Film Grain, to the final result.

FAQs

Q: What is the best way to create a realistic lightning effect in After Effects?
A: The best way to create a realistic lightning effect in After Effects is to use the Pen tool to create a rough path for the lightning strike, animate the path using Trim Paths, and add a glow effect to enhance the overall appearance of the lightning.

Q: How do I add a glow effect to my lightning?
A: To add a glow effect to your lightning, create a Solid with the same color as the lightning, add a mask with a roughly oval shape and a large Feather amount, and then add a Glow to it. Keyframe the opacity so the light patch is strongest at the moment of impact.

Q: How do I render out my final result?
A: To render out your final result, go to Composition > Add to Render Queue, select your output format, name and location, and click on Render.

Affordable Acer Laptop with Long Battery Life

Emerson Blake
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Affordable Acer Laptop with Long Battery Life

ZDNET’s Key Takeaways

  • Acer’s Aspire 14 AI is available now at Costco for $699.
  • It has a fantastic battery and some of the latest hardware: all for a very approachable price point.
  • I suggest opting for the OLED, since the low-end display isn’t the best.

I went hands-on with Acer’s Aspire Go 15 last year, and praised it as one of the best cheap laptops you can get, priced at around $280. This year, one of the latest additions to Acer’s Aspire line, the Aspire 14 AI, is a few steps up in terms of hardware and features, but maintains a competitive price point of $699.

Acer’s brand messaging has positioned itself at the forefront of eco-friendly components and post-consumer recycled materials, and the aesthetic of its laptops from the past few years reflects this.

Design and Build Quality

From the exposed grill on the hinge, to the visible copper heat pipes on the bottom of the device, to the thick bezels surrounding the display, the Aspire 14 AI isn’t the sleekest laptop around. Still, it reflects an unpretentious, eco-conscious aesthetic with a solid suite of hardware that shows up ready to work.

Hardware and Performance

The Aspire 14 AI features two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports that can support an external monitor at an 8K resolution, an HDMI 2.1, support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4, and a Kensington lock slot. This spread of ports makes it a capable business laptop for remote or hybrid workers, particularly when paired with the battery.

Battery Life

Battery life is the Aspire 14 AI’s best feature. I know we’ve been singing the praises of many laptops with marathon battery life over the past year, but Acer’s Aspire 14 AI fills a niche: an AI-ready budget laptop with an absolute marathon battery that will last for days on end.

During my testing, I brought the Aspire 14 AI into the office on a full charge and used it intermittently throughout the day. It was still above 90% by the end of the workday, and when I closed it up and brought it back out the next day, it hadn’t dropped a single percentage point.  

The next day, I brought it back in and used it quite a bit more aggressively: holding multiple videocalls, doing more sustained multitasking, and keeping the display jacked up. It finally started to dent the battery life, but by the end of the day, it was still just right around 30%. 

Display Options

The Aspire 14 AI comes with either a 14-inch WUXGA IPS touch display or an OLED. The IPS display is functional but not particularly noteworthy in terms of brightness or color gamut. The OLED, on the other hand, makes it feel more premium.

ZDNET’s Buying Advice

Acer’s Aspire 14 AI is one of the better bang-for-your-buck options available right now. Starting at $699, it offers some of the latest high-performing hardware and a battery that will last multiple days in a very competitive package.

If you’re looking for a “budget plus” laptop with respectable hardware that opts for a more utilitarian form factor (and approachable price), the Aspire 14 AI is a solid choice. I would suggest opting for the OLED configuration if you’re willing to pay for the upgrade, especially if you’ll be using it for visually creative work or gaming.

FAQs

Q: Is the Aspire 14 AI a good value?

A: Yes, it is one of the better bang-for-your-buck options available right now, offering latest high-performing hardware and a battery that will last multiple days.

Q: Is the display worth upgrading to the OLED option?

A: Yes, if you’re willing to pay for the upgrade, especially if you’ll be using it for visually creative work or gaming.

Q: Is the Aspire 14 AI suitable for gaming?

A: Yes, it is well-supported by the hardware, but the IPS display may hold back the experience. Therefore, I would suggest opting for the OLED configuration if you’re looking for a better gaming experience.

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