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US Copyright Ruling Provides Clarity on AI Art

Phil
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0
US Copyright Ruling Provides Clarity on AI Art

AI Art Can’t Be Copyrighted, Says US Copyright Office

Until now, it has appeared not, although people have launched appeals after their AI art was rejected for copyright. The US Copyright Office (USCO) has now published a report in a bid to shed some light on where it stands. It offers some clarification, but it’s not going to make anyone happy.

The headline conclusion in the Copyright Office’s report is that output generated simply by using a text prompt in an AI image generator cannot be copyrighted. In line with previous decisions, it concludes: “Prompts alone do not provide sufficient human control to make users of an AI system the authors of the output.”

The USCO dismisses the argument that using AI is similar to a human-to-human artistic commission (e.g., an artist directing assistants) because it considers that, at least with today’s technology, AI does not provide a comparable level of control. It cites an example of how Google Gemini, when asked to generate an image of a cat smoking a pipe, ignored part of the prompt and added unwanted elements.

The report acknowledges that, in theory, we could see the development of AI systems that do give artists more control. That could potentially make them more comparable to an artists’ mechanical tools. But that this is “not currently the case.”

But the USCO also recognises that “generating content with AI is often an initial or intermediate step” and that “human authorship may be added in the final product”. It takes the opinion that if a human may select or “arrange AI-generated material in a sufficiently creative way”, the result could be considered an original work.

It also says that when “AI merely assists an author in the creative process, its use does not change the copyrightability of the output.” That would suggest that if you use minor generative AI, for example to remove a distraction in a photo, the image could still be fully copyrighted in its entirety.

But the authorities recognise that there’s a very big grey area in between the two extremes of 100% AI and AI-assisted. It says each work will have to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. “Between these boundaries, various forms and combinations of human contributions can be involved in producing AI outputs,” it says.

Some human-AI work may not be copyrightable in its entirety, but could partially qualify for copyright. The USCO cites examples of where human-created work is modified by an AI model and vice versa.

Interestingly, while the Copyright Office determined that the results of prompts can’t be copyrighted, it says the prompts themselves possibly could, providing that they’re creative enough. That would probably rule out simple prompts, but leaves open the possibility that prompting can be considered an act of human creativity.

Perhaps surprisingly, the Copyright Office concluded that no new laws are needed to specifically address AI copyright: existing laws can do the job. “Even if Congress were to consider addressing this issue through legislation, greater clarity would be difficult to achieve. Because the copyrightability inquiry requires analysis of each work and the context of its creation, statutory language would be limited in its ability to provide brighter lines,” the report concludes.

While the report doesn’t immediately change anything, it provides important clarification that could encourage some users of AI tools. The clarification that hybrid human-AI-generated content could at least partially qualify for copyright could make more creatives (and brands) more confident about using it for professional use with their own intellectual property. It also sends a message to those waiting for some kind of specific legislation on AI copyright: don’t hold your breath.

What is still needed, though, is clarification of where artists stand when an AI (or AI-assisted) image copies their artistic style, or where anyone stands if AI uses their own physical image. That could require some kind of federal anti-impersonation legislation in the US and similar changes in other countries where such protections don’t already exist.

The US Copyright Office’s report provides some clarity on the copyrightability of AI-generated art, but it’s not a straightforward answer. The report concludes that 100% AI art cannot be copyrighted, but human-AI art can be copyrighted in certain circumstances. The report also suggests that existing laws can address the issue of AI copyright, and that new legislation is not necessary.

Q: Can AI-generated art be copyrighted?
A: No, 100% AI-generated art cannot be copyrighted. However, human-AI art can be copyrighted in certain circumstances.

Q: Can I use AI to generate art and still claim copyright?
A: Yes, if you use AI as an initial or intermediate step in the creative process, and you add human authorship to the final product, you may be able to claim copyright.

Q: Can I use AI to generate art and then claim it’s a human creation?
A: No, the US Copyright Office has concluded that AI-generated art cannot be considered a human creation, and therefore cannot be copyrighted.

Q: Do I need new laws to address AI copyright?
A: No, the US Copyright Office has concluded that existing laws can address the issue of AI copyright, and that new legislation is not necessary.

These Robots Are Recovering Explosives

Avery Winslow
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0
These Robots Are Recovering Explosives

Hands Off?

When I visited the SeaTerra barge on a chilly but clear day last October, I spoke with veteran munitions-disposal expert Michael Scheffler, who’d already spent a month aboard the platform in nearby Haffkrug, on the German coast, carefully cracking open heavy wooden crates caked in mud and slime and packed with 20-mm cannon rounds churned out by Nazi Germany. On that morning, they’d already examined about 5.8 tons of 20-mm rounds, grabbed from the muck by mechanical grabbers and underwater robots and then hauled on board the platform.

A New Era in Munitions Disposal

Robotic crawlers equipped with cameras, powerful lights, sonar, and upgraded grabber systems might be used to pick up munitions more efficiently than the platform-based cranes used now, and could operate around the clock. With remote vehicles, dump sites could also be tackled from multiple sides at once, something impossible to do from a fixed platform on the surface. And ordnance specialists—skilled workers in short supply—could perhaps oversee most of the work remotely from offices in Hamburg, instead of spending days out at sea.

Initial Tests Show Promise

Despite a few issues—such as poor underwater visibility and sometimes inadequate lighting, which made operating remotely through live images difficult—most of the technology in the initial tests worked roughly as planned. “There is certainly room for improvement, but fundamentally the concept works, and the idea that you can identify underwater and store it straight away into the transport crates works,” says Wolfgang Sichermann, a naval architect whose company, Seascape, has been overseeing the project on behalf of Germany’s environment ministry.

Challenges Ahead

While the technology shows promise, there are still limits to just how much can be done remotely with technology. The difficult, dangerous, and sensitive work will sometimes still require hands-on human expertise, at least for the foreseeable future. “There are restrictions to doing a complete remote job of clearance on the seafloor. Definitely, divers and EOD [explosive ordnance disposal] specialists on the seafloor and specialists on-site, they will never go away, no way,” says Guldin.

A Global Problem

Well into the 1970s, militaries around the world turned to the oceans as dumping grounds for old munitions. But since there’s no money to be made in incinerating old aerial bombs, any boom in underwater munitions disposal would depend on major investments in environmental remediation, which happen only rarely. “We could speed up the process and be more efficient, definitely,” Guldin says. “The only thing is, if you bring more resources to the field, it also means somebody has to pay for it. Do we have a government in place in the future who is willing to pay for that? I have my doubts, to be honest.”

Conclusion

The pilot project has shown promising results, but there are still challenges ahead. While technology can improve efficiency and speed up the process, it is unlikely to replace the need for human expertise entirely. The success of the project will depend on finding the right financial backers and governments willing to invest in environmental remediation. If successful, the technology could have a global impact, cleaning up dumped munitions around the world.

FAQs

Q: What is the goal of the pilot project?
A: The goal of the pilot project is to develop and test new technology for the efficient and safe disposal of underwater munitions.

Q: What kind of technology is being used?
A: The technology being used includes robotic crawlers equipped with cameras, powerful lights, sonar, and upgraded grabber systems, as well as remote vehicles and underwater robots.

Q: How does the technology work?
A: The technology allows for the identification and retrieval of underwater munitions, which can then be stored in transport crates and taken to a disposal facility for incineration.

Q: Will the technology replace human expertise?
A: No, the technology will not replace the need for human expertise entirely. While it can improve efficiency and speed up the process, there will still be a need for divers and EOD specialists to work on the seafloor and on-site.

Q: Will the technology be used globally?
A: Yes, if the pilot project is successful, the technology could be used globally to clean up dumped munitions around the world. However, it will depend on finding the right financial backers and governments willing to invest in environmental remediation.

ACE++: Best Faceswapper in ComfyUI

Phil
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0
ACE++: Best Faceswapper in ComfyUI

ACE++ Faceswap: Swapping Faces and Adding Details with Ease

Introduction

ACE++ is a powerful tool that allows you to swap faces, add details, and achieve character consistency with just one photo, without requiring any training. This article will guide you through the process of using ACE++ and provide additional resources to help you get started.

Installing ACE++ Faceswap

To install ACE++, you will need to download the following files:

  • comfyui_portrait_lora64.safetensors and place it in /models/loras/
  • Flux Fill fp8 and place it in /models/diffusion_models/
  • Flux Turbo Lora and place it in /models/loras/

You can download these files from the following links:

Using ACE++ Faceswap

Once you have installed the required files, you can start using ACE++ faceswap. This process is explained in the following video:

0:00 ACE++ Faceswap
1:10 How to install ACE++ Faceswap
5:10 How to use ACE++ Faceswap
11:50 Look at this ACE++ magic

Additional Resources

For those who want to dive deeper into the world of AI art, here are some additional resources:

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is ACE++?
A: ACE++ is a tool that allows you to swap faces, add details, and achieve character consistency with just one photo, without requiring any training.

Q: Do I need to train ACE++?
A: No, ACE++ does not require any training.

Q: Can I add Loras to ACE++?
A: Yes, you can add Loras to ACE++. To do so, download comfyui_portrait_lora64.safetensors and place it in /models/loras/.

Q: Where can I find more information about ACE++?
A: You can find more information about ACE++ on its official GitHub page: https://ali-vilab.github.io/ACE_plus_page/.

Tana Snaps Up $25M

Avery Winslow
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0
Tana Snaps Up M

Simplifying the To-Do List: Tana’s AI-Powered Solution

Introduction

An app that helps individuals and teams in the working world simplify their to-do lists has remained one of the unsolved goals in business technology. Leaning into AI, a startup called Tana believes it has cracked the code on how to reach it.

Features and Functionality

At its most basic, Tana is part automated-list builder and note taker, part application enabler, and part organizer. It can listen to conversations (e.g., over Zoom) or voice memos directed to Tana itself, transcribing them and turning them into action items. It then starts to work on that, depending on what the user has integrated with it for the purpose, to create lists, spreadsheets, web page updates, and more. Tana also has a feature it calls "Supertag," which it describes as modeled on Object-oriented programming that "transforms unstructured to structured information in seconds."

Vision and Ambition

Tana’s ambitious idea is that it will improve over time, as it takes on more data, and as its team builds future iterations of the platform. "We are building out a knowledge graph," said CEO Tarjei Vassbotn. Tana is a major fast-flowing river in Norway, and Vassbotn said that the startup named itself after it. "Tana is a river of information," he said.

Momentum and Funding

Today, Tana is emerging from stealth, announcing $25 million in funding from an interesting list of backers to get started. The startup has already gained momentum, with a popular closed beta and word of mouth. It has already managed to pick up 160,000 users on a waitlist, with a heavy concentration from large enterprises.

Background and Team

Tana is headquartered in Palo Alto and has a development and operations office in Norway, with three Norwegian co-founders. Vassbotn and Grim Iversen (CPO) are ex-Googlers. Significantly, Iversen had been one of the senior people building Google Wave, another of the efforts to solve the to-do and collaboration problem. They are joined by a third co-founder, COO Olav Kriken, who has built a string of digital companies in the country.

Competitors and Outlook

Many talented builders have tried to conquer the efficiency/productivity conundrum in business software, yet all of them have not quite worked as hoped. Even Slack’s so-called email killer has, in the end, turned the overstuffed inbox into a bloated burden of a different, notification kind. Tana’s founders are part of that complicated history. Now, their belief is that the circle can finally be completed through careful application of AI.

Conclusion

Tana’s founders are part of that complicated history. Now, their belief is that the circle can finally be completed through careful application of AI. The company’s ambition is to make Tana a tool catalog, integrating with around 50 different tools (such as Zoom), all of which themselves are also building their own AI functionality to make work for users a little easier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Tana?
A: Tana is an AI-powered app that helps individuals and teams in the working world simplify their to-do lists.

Q: How does Tana work?
A: Tana can listen to conversations (e.g., over Zoom) or voice memos directed to Tana itself, transcribing them and turning them into action items. It then starts to work on that, depending on what the user has integrated with it for the purpose, to create lists, spreadsheets, web page updates, and more.

Q: What is Supertag?
A: Supertag is a feature that transforms unstructured to structured information in seconds, modeled on Object-oriented programming.

Q: Who are the founders of Tana?
A: The founders of Tana are Tarjei Vassbotn, Grim Iversen, and Olav Kriken. Vassbotn and Iversen are ex-Googlers.

Quiz Crisis

Phil
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Quiz Crisis

Vinted’s New Again Campaign: A Refreshing Digital Experience

A New Era for Sustainable Fashion

Online marketplace Vinted has unveiled a brand-new campaign, supporting its fresh creative platform "New Again". The ‘Re-invinted’ campaign is supported by a dynamic new website and interactive shopper personality quiz, spotlighting the unique habits of the reseller community using real-world data.

Breaking the Mold with Stink Studios

Creating impactful branding is about pushing boundaries, and Vinted’s delightfully immersive new campaign is a refreshing experience that transcends static design. With 3D elements, interactive assets, and a playful design, Vinted’s new campaign is a bold reflection of the brand’s eclectic spirit and sustainable ethos.

A World of Possibilities

Supported by real member data, the interactive website showcases shoppers’ ‘Pre-loved Personality’, spotlighted by a quiz which gives "Vin-sights" into their unique tastes. Each persona represents a unique personality trait when it comes to how members are getting the most out of buying and/or selling. When we set out, the assumption was that there would be 6-8. But after diving into the data, we realized there were many, many more.

Data-Driven Design

Each persona is brought to life through the data points that are most representative of those kinds of members. Specific items and illustrations are designed to reflect this data, from an LV bag for Lux Lovers, to illustrated data visualizations.

A Challenge to Flexibility

Vinted is an international brand, and the experience works in a number of languages. Creating a design system that creatively expresses the core values of the campaign, while also flexing to fit any language on any device, posed a real challenge. Once this was cracked, the main task was elevating the design and interactivity to the highest standard within those technical constraints.

Conclusion

The Re-invinted website was particularly fun to design, and the experience is as addictive as it is insightful, encouraging users to explore by scroll, scroll, and scrolling some more. The tactility of the 3D cards and playful interactions build on this feeling of joy that the Vinted brand celebrates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the ‘New Again’ campaign?
A: The ‘New Again’ campaign is a fresh creative platform launched by Vinted, supporting its new campaign "Re-invinted".

Q: What is the ‘Re-invinted’ campaign?
A: The ‘Re-invinted’ campaign is a new campaign by Vinted, supported by a dynamic new website and interactive shopper personality quiz, spotlighting the unique habits of the reseller community using real-world data.

Q: What is the purpose of the campaign?
A: The purpose of the campaign is to promote sustainable fashion and the benefits of buying and selling second-hand items.

Q: What kind of data is used in the campaign?
A: Real member data is used in the campaign to create personas and illustrate the different buying and selling habits of Vinted’s members.

Aadhaar Authentication for Businesses Raises Privacy Concerns

Jordan Waverly
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Aadhaar Authentication for Businesses Raises Privacy Concerns

India Eases Restrictions on Aadhaar Authentication Service, Raising Privacy Concerns

New Delhi Eases Restrictions on Aadhaar Authentication Service

India has eased restrictions on its Aadhaar authentication service, a digital identity verification framework linked to the biometrics of over 1.4 billion people, to allow businesses, including those in e-commerce, travel, hospitality, and healthcare, to use the verification system to authenticate their customers. The update has raised concerns about the potential misuse of individuals’ biometric IDs.

Amendments to the Legislation

On Friday, the Indian IT ministry introduced the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance (Social Welfare, Innovation, Knowledge) Amendment Rules, 2025, to amend the legislation introduced in 2020 as a result of a Supreme Court judgment that restricted the access of private entities seeking Aadhaar data. The new amendment comes nearly two years after the Indian government began its public consultation, the responses to which have not been disclosed.

Expanded Scope of Aadhaar Authentication

The update aims to "enhance scope and utility of Aadhaar authentication" by "allowing the usage of Aadhaar for improving service delivery" and "enables both government and non-government entities to avail Aadhaar authentication service for providing various services in the public interest," the IT ministry said in its press statement. The amended rules exclude the sub-rule that allowed Aadhaar authentication to prevent the "leaking of public funds." This broadens the scope of the unique ID-based verification provided by the Indian government’s Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and expands the authentication service to various public and private sectors.

Increased Usage of Aadhaar Authentication

According to the UIDAI website, Aadhaar authentication hit 129.93 billion transactions in January, up from 109.13 billion in February last year. National Informatics Center, National Health Agency, State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, and Punjab National Bank were among the top entities using Aadhaar-based authentication to verify their users this month.

Concerns Over Data Protection and Use

Under the new rules, entities looking to enable Aadhaar authentication will be required to "apply with the details of intended requirements the concerned ministry or department of the Central or the State government" which "will be examined by UIDAI and MeitY [the IT ministry] that will approve these applications based on UIDAI’s recommendation, the government stated. However, policy experts have raised concerns about the lack of clear criteria for evaluating these applications and the potential for misuse of individuals’ biometric IDs.

Expert Opinions

Kamesh Shekar, a digital governance lead at New Delhi-based tech policy think-tank The Dialogue, said, "What criteria the MeitY and UIDAI would be taking into consideration for evaluating such applications have to be made clearer and more transparent to weed out misuse, which is a concern flagged by the Supreme Court while deliberating on Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act."

Prasanna S, an advocate-on-record in the Supreme Court, who was among the advocates fighting for the Right to Privacy and had challenged the Aadhaar Act, said, "Licensing regime existed even earlier under the 2020 rules. But now, with the access being expanded, the concern with the kind of a regime gets reinforced multifold."

Sidharth Deb, associate director for public policy at the New Delhi-based consultancy firm The Quantum Hub, said, "Once you start linking ID documentation or ID instruments to accessing digital services, there is always the risk of exclusion. We really need to start thinking about how we define voluntary so that citizens have as much autonomy as possible to be able to access digital services in as frictionless a manner as possible."

Conclusion

The Indian government’s decision to ease restrictions on Aadhaar authentication has raised concerns about the potential misuse of individuals’ biometric IDs. While the update aims to improve service delivery, it is essential to ensure that the necessary safeguards are in place to protect individuals’ privacy and prevent misuse. The government must provide clear guidelines on the evaluation process for entities seeking to use Aadhaar authentication and ensure that the benefits of this technology are shared equitably by all citizens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the purpose of the Aadhaar authentication service?
A: The purpose of the Aadhaar authentication service is to verify an individual’s identity using their biometric data.

Q: Who is eligible to use the Aadhaar authentication service?
A: The service is available to both government and non-government entities, including businesses in various sectors such as e-commerce, travel, hospitality, and healthcare.

Q: What are the concerns about the use of Aadhaar authentication?
A: There are concerns about the potential misuse of individuals’ biometric IDs and the lack of clear criteria for evaluating applications to use the service.

Q: What is the current usage of the Aadhaar authentication service?
A: According to the UIDAI website, the service has been used for over 129.93 billion transactions in January.

PDP’s Riffmaster Guitar Controller is Receiving a Rare $20 Discount

Avery Winslow
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0
PDP’s Riffmaster Guitar Controller is Receiving a Rare Discount

Fortnite Festival’s New Riffmaster: A Nostalgic Gaming Experience for Music Lovers

Last month, Fortnite Festival, the game’s Rock Band-like music mode, rolled out local multiplayer on PlayStation and Xbox. It’s a great addition if you and up to three buddies want to relive the halcyon days of ’07 on a single TV, particularly if you’re using a nostalgia-inducing peripheral like the PDP Riffmaster — which is now available from Amazon, Best Buy, and PDP for an all-time low of $109.99 ($20 off).

What’s in the Riffmaster?

Much like the old guitars developed for Rock Band, PDP’s wireless gamepad allows you to strum along with real songs in both Rock Band 4 (RIP) and the free-to-play Fortnite Festival. It offers a lot of the same functionality as previous controllers, though, seeing as it’s been nearly a decade since Mad Catz’s last Stratocaster-style gamepad, the Riffmaster introduces a few modern tricks. That includes USB-C charging and a 3.5mm audio jack, along with a dedicated analog stick on the back of the neck for more straightforward navigation.

The Classic Rock Band Experience

In true RB4 fashion, the Riffmaster is also outfitted with five color-coded buttons higher up the neck and a second set lower down, each of which you can use to hammer out the various notes as they appear in their respective lanes. A strummer and a whammy bar make good on the classic Rock Band experience, letting you unleash vibrato on the Xbox, PlayStation, or PC with the included USB dongle.

More Ways to Save This Weekend

  • Check out our top picks for the best gaming deals and discounts
  • Don’t miss out on our Black Friday gaming sale, featuring discounts on top gaming peripherals
  • Stay tuned for our Cyber Monday gaming deals, with exclusive offers and discounts on the latest games and accessories

FAQs

Q: What is the Riffmaster?
A: The Riffmaster is a wireless gamepad designed for music lovers, allowing you to strum along with real songs in Rock Band 4 and Fortnite Festival.

Q: What are the key features of the Riffmaster?
A: The Riffmaster includes USB-C charging, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a dedicated analog stick on the back of the neck for navigation.

Q: Can I use the Riffmaster with Rock Band 4 and Fortnite Festival?
A: Yes, the Riffmaster is compatible with both Rock Band 4 and Fortnite Festival, allowing you to strum along with real songs in both games.

Q: Where can I buy the Riffmaster?
A: The Riffmaster is available from Amazon, Best Buy, and PDP for an all-time low of $109.99 ($20 off).

Apple’s New Genmoji Billboards

Phil
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0
Apple’s New Genmoji Billboards

Apple’s Marketing: A Shift towards the Juvenile?

When it comes to advertising, only a few brands are known for their consistently iconic output. Up there with the likes of Nike and McDonald’s is arguably Apple, whose ‘Think different’ ads remain cultural touchstones and among the best print ads ever. However, the brand’s latest billboard campaign has led some to suggest Apple’s marketing has ‘fallen off a cliff’.

A Juvenile Design

Large print ads have been popping up across the US to promote Genmoji, one of the new Apple Intelligence features that lets users generate custom emoji via a text prompt. The playful, cartoonish style of the emoji themselves is exactly what you’d expect from Apple, but when plastered on a billboard across the city, the whole thing starts to look a little juvenile – particularly when compared with iconic Apple ads of yore.

Criticism from the Public

The design is not the only issue. The attempt to turn Gemoji into a verb is also causing frustration. "Imagine it. Genmoji it." reads the text on the ads, which sits atop one of various AI-generated emoji. The cut-and-paste look of the ads and the verbification of Gemoji are proving more than a little irritating.

Social Media Backlash

The backlash is evident on social media, with users expressing their disappointment and frustration. "You know I support Apple in almost everything. But this is really embarrassing," one user commented in response to a viral photo of a billboard depicting a fried egg with limbs. Another added, "I will never tire of talking about the pain of seeing advertising die before my eyes."

A Shift in Marketing Strategy?

The problem isn’t just Apple’s dogged commitment to trying to make personalized emoji ‘a thing’. It’s also the sheer crudeness of the design. Apple ads have always been simple, but there’s a difference between a minimal ad featuring a classy product shot (or black-and-white photograph of an artist using said product), and the aforementioned egg with limbs. Whereas previous Apple ads have felt timeless, these Gen Z-baiting efforts probably aren’t going to age well.

A Year of Setbacks for Apple’s Marketing

The issue with Apple’s marketing is not new. The company has had a year of setbacks, apologizing last year for a tone-deaf iPad Pro ad that seemed to advocate the ‘crushing’ of creativity, and a few months later, it apologized again for its stereotypical depiction of Thailand in another ad.

Conclusion

Apple’s latest billboard campaign has led some to question whether the company’s marketing has fallen off a cliff. While the brand’s ‘Think different’ ads remain iconic, the latest efforts seem to be a shift towards the juvenile. The design is crude, and the attempt to turn Gemoji into a verb is met with frustration. As the company continues to experiment with new marketing strategies, it’s essential to remember that simplicity and timelessness are key to creating iconic ads.

FAQs

Q: What is Apple’s latest marketing campaign about?
A: Apple’s latest campaign is promoting its new feature, Genmoji, which allows users to generate custom emoji via a text prompt.

Q: What is the design of the billboards like?
A: The design of the billboards features playful, cartoonish emoji and a cut-and-paste look, which is being met with criticism and frustration.

Q: How has the public reacted to the campaign?
A: The public has been expressing disappointment and frustration on social media, calling the campaign "juvenile" and "embarrassing".

Q: Is this a one-off mistake or a shift in Apple’s marketing strategy?
A: While it’s unclear if this is a one-off mistake or a shift in Apple’s marketing strategy, the company has had a year of setbacks, including apologizing for tone-deaf ads and stereotypical depictions of cultures.

CSS-in-JS vs. SCSS: Choosing the Right Styling Approach

Parker Lennox
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0
CSS-in-JS vs. SCSS: Choosing the Right Styling Approach

Styling Modern Web Applications: CSS-in-JS vs SCSS

When it comes to styling modern web applications, developers are often caught in a battle between two popular approaches: CSS-in-JS and SCSS. Each has its strengths, and the choice ultimately depends on your project’s needs, team preferences, and the complexity of the styles. Let’s dive into both and explore when one might be the better option for your front-end project.

CSS-in-JS: Benefits and Use Cases

CSS-in-JS, as the name suggests, involves writing your styles directly inside your JavaScript files, often using libraries like styled-components or Emotion. This approach has gained popularity with React and other modern JavaScript frameworks due to its tight integration with the component-based architecture.

Pros:

  • Scoped styles: CSS is scoped to the component, eliminating global styles and reducing the chance of conflicts.
  • Dynamic styling: Easily modify styles based on props or component state, which is especially useful for highly interactive UIs.
  • Better maintainability: Styles live with the components, leading to better maintainability in large-scale applications.

Cons:

  • Performance concerns: Inline styles can increase the initial load time, though libraries often optimize this with techniques like critical CSS extraction.
  • Learning curve: For teams unfamiliar with CSS-in-JS, there’s an added overhead of understanding the syntax and tooling.

SCSS: Benefits and Use Cases

SCSS (Sassy CSS) is an extension of CSS that brings powerful features like variables, nesting, and mixins. It remains one of the most popular choices for traditional styling in larger, less JavaScript-heavy applications.

Pros:

  • Familiarity: SCSS is widely used and familiar to most developers, making it easy to onboard new team members.
  • Advanced features: SCSS gives you powerful tools like nesting, inheritance, and functions that improve your styling workflow.
  • Performance: SCSS compiles into standard CSS, making it highly performant with no runtime overhead.

Cons:

  • Global scope issues: Unless you’re careful with naming conventions, SCSS can lead to global style conflicts.
  • Less dynamic: While you can use mixins to add some dynamic behavior, SCSS doesn’t support direct manipulation of styles based on application state like CSS-in-JS.

When to Use Each

  • CSS-in-JS shines in dynamic, component-driven apps where you need scoped, state-dependent styling (think React or Next.js).
  • SCSS is ideal for traditional, large-scale projects where consistency and performance are key, and styles don’t change as often based on user interaction.

Conclusion

Ultimately, both approaches are valid, and the choice boils down to your project’s needs. Consider your application’s scale, complexity, and how closely your styles need to be tied to JavaScript logic. By weighing these factors, you’ll be well on your way to choosing the right approach for your next project.

FAQs

Q: What is CSS-in-JS?
A: CSS-in-JS is a styling approach that involves writing styles directly inside your JavaScript files, often using libraries like styled-components or Emotion.

Q: What is SCSS?
A: SCSS (Sassy CSS) is an extension of CSS that brings powerful features like variables, nesting, and mixins.

Q: Which approach is better for my project?
A: The choice between CSS-in-JS and SCSS depends on your project’s needs, team preferences, and the complexity of the styles. Consider your application’s scale, complexity, and how closely your styles need to be tied to JavaScript logic.

Q: Can I use both CSS-in-JS and SCSS in my project?
A: Yes, you can use both approaches in your project, depending on the specific needs of different components or sections of your application.

Fund Managers Say DeepSeek Won’t Derail Tech Rally

Parker Lennox
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0
Fund Managers Say DeepSeek Won’t Derail Tech Rally

The Artificial Intelligence-Powered Rally in US Stocks Has Further to Run

Despite the "Wake-Up Call" from Chinese Start-Up DeepSeek

The artificial intelligence-powered rally in US stocks has further to run, say equity investors, although the "wake-up call" from Chinese start-up DeepSeek is likely to reorder the winners and losers from the rapidly evolving technology.

DeepSeek’s Breakthrough

DeepSeek last week unveiled a cutting-edge reasoning model capable of competing with those designed in the US — but apparently for a fraction of the cost — sending shockwaves through equities markets and reigniting fears among some investors of a repeat of the dotcom crash at the start of this century.

Impact on US Stocks

By the end of Monday, chipmaker and stock market darling Nvidia had shed almost $600bn — the biggest one-day loss in US history. A ferocious US tech sell-off spread to energy stocks and utilities that had been expected to benefit from demand for power to fuel AI data centers. However, since then, the sell-off has run out of steam. US indices ended the week lower, with Nvidia close to its Monday lows. The S&P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite lost 1% and 1.6% over the past five sessions.

Expectations of Healthcare Stocks

Alicia Levine, head of investment strategy and equities at BNY Wealth, expects healthcare stocks and other companies with access to massive amounts of data to reap the rewards as investors move into less richly priced areas of the market. "If AI becomes cheaper and faster, it makes sense that those companies would see a boost in value," Levine said. "The picks and shovels" companies in the energy and infrastructure sectors, which have been among the main beneficiaries of Big Tech’s huge capital expenditure on AI, may suffer most, she added.

Megacap Tech Stocks

Megacap tech stocks, and excitement around the potential of AI, have been the main driver of the US stock market’s strong performance in recent years. Last year the so-called Magnificent Seven tech stocks were responsible for more than half of the S&P 500’s gain. However, bears fear that DeepSeek’s breakthrough could have huge implications for the spending plans and valuations of some of the Silicon Valley giants that have driven that rally, and for the wider, top-heavy US market, where the largest 10 stocks now account for almost two-fifths of the S&P 500.

Conclusion

Despite the sell-off, many investors and analysts think the impact of DeepSeek’s breakthrough will be subtle, and that the overall market will continue to perform well. Some even see the turmoil as a healthy rebalancing for the wider market, with a potential rotation into relative "laggards" like Apple.

FAQs

Q: What is DeepSeek’s breakthrough?
A: DeepSeek unveiled a cutting-edge reasoning model capable of competing with those designed in the US — but apparently for a fraction of the cost.

Q: What was the impact on US stocks?
A: The sell-off spread to energy stocks and utilities, with Nvidia shedding almost $600bn, the biggest one-day loss in US history.

Q: Who expects healthcare stocks to benefit?
A: Alicia Levine, head of investment strategy and equities at BNY Wealth, expects healthcare stocks and other companies with access to massive amounts of data to reap the rewards.

Q: What are the implications for megacap tech stocks?
A: Bears fear that DeepSeek’s breakthrough could have huge implications for the spending plans and valuations of some of the Silicon Valley giants that have driven the rally.

Q: What is the outlook for the overall market?
A: Many investors and analysts think the impact of DeepSeek’s breakthrough will be subtle, and that the overall market will continue to perform well.

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