The holiday shopping season has started fast, especially online, and those automated chatbots are working overtime. Artificial intelligence is increasingly finding its way into decisions that once were purely human, like whether or not to buy a sweater. This year, more than ever, smart computer programs are stepping between customers and their shopping. These programs make recommendations based on purchase history, browsing behavior and demographics. They also sharpen the results from online product searches, adjust prices based on competitive factors, and improve product placement or promotions. AI-powered customer service can answer questions and take orders. AI can even enable apparel shoppers to virtually “try on” clothes to see if they’ll fit. This integration of AI with routine tasks of our everyday lives isn’t new, but its ubiquity is growing. Merchants say their embrace of AI creates more efficient and personal shopping experiences. If Santa can tell when you’ve been bad or good, as the Christmas carol goes, imagine what a computer analyzing every keystroke can surmise about you and your holiday shopping list. Some AI applications rival science fiction. A recent survey of 2,000 adults under age 40 showed that 13% of young men and 9% of young women are open to friendships with AI-generated companions, and 1 in 4 young people say they believe AI partners could eventually replace real-life romance. In the U.S., this incursion is largely unregulated, which could be risky based on how AI is being used. The European Union has developed a sensible AI regulatory framework that rates the risk from “minimal” to “unacceptable.” Most AI related to holiday shopping falls into the catch-all category of “limited” risk, meaning the systems could be used to deceive people in relatively small ways. For example, the EU requires that chatbot programs conversing in text or voice make it clear that human users are interacting with AI, not other humans. The EU framework is still being sorted out, but at least the Europeans have one. In the U.S., Congress so far has failed to pass legislation, and the only national standards to date stemmed from an executive order that outgoing President Joe Biden imposed in 2023. With ex-President Donald Trump returning to the White House, Biden’s order is probably headed for the trash, and it’s unclear what AI guardrails a Trump administration might want, if any. ... Advocates in the AI industry have pushed for rules of the road to help the technology gain acceptance and head off problems. The Europeans have provided a reasonable starting point. Now it’s up to the ruling GOP to recognize that imposing regulations on the AI free-for-all stands to promote innovation and ensure that these powerful tools are used in a manner that serves the public. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Quantum Dot Solar Cell Market to Exhibit a Remarkable CAGR of 16.80% by 2029, Size, Share, Trends, Key Drivers, Demand, Opportunity Analysis and Competitive Outlook 12-12-2024 08:44 PM CET | Advertising, Media Consulting, Marketing Research Press release from: Data Bridge Market Research Data Bridge Market Research analyses that the quantum dot solar cell market was valued at USD 758.20 million in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 2626.19 million by 2029, registering a CAGR of 16.80% during the forecast period of 2022 to 2029. Market Definition: Quantum dots are those nano-meter size particles which is used in several applications because of their optical properties. The potential advantages of the quantum dots enable the companies to tune the wavelength of the light emitted as per requirements. It has been considered the primary growth stimulating factor for the quantum dots market. The particles' composition, size and size make them more suitable for production of displays and other commercial uses. Browse More About This Research Report @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-quantum-dot-solar-cell-market Some of the major players operating in the quantum dot solar cell market are: Exeger Operations AB (Sweden), Fujikura Europe Ltd. (U.K.), G24 Power Ltd. (U.K.), Konica Minolta Sensing Europe B.V. (Netherlands), Merck KGaA (Germany), Oxford PV (U.K.), Peccell Technologies, Inc. (Japan), Sharp Corporation (Japan), Solaronix SA (Switzerland), Sony Corporation (Japan), Ricoh (Japan), First Solar. (U.S.), SunPower Corporation (U.S.), Suniva Inc (U.S.), Tata Power Solar Systems Ltd. (India), SHARP CORPORATION (Japan), ALPS Technology Inc. (U.S.), Solaris Technology Industry, Inc. (India), GREEN BRILLIANCE RENEWABLE ENERGY LLP (India), Trina Solar (China), Canadian Solar. (Canada), DuPont (U.S.). Competitive Landscape and Quantum Dot Solar Cell Market Share Analysis : The quantum dot solar cell market competitive landscape provides details by competitor. Details included are company overview, company financials, revenue generated, market potential, investment in research and development, new market initiatives, global presence, production sites and facilities, production capacities, company strengths and weaknesses, product launch, product width and breadth, application dominance. The above data points provided are only related to the companies' focus related to quantum dot solar cell market. Browse Trending Reports: https://dbmrganeshsak.blogspot.com/2024/12/automotive-refinish-coatings-market.html https://dbmrganeshsak.blogspot.com/2024/12/data-center-construction-market.html https://dbmrganeshsak.blogspot.com/2024/12/vehicle-scanner-market-industry-trends.html https://dbmrganeshsak.blogspot.com/2024/12/financial-analytics-market-industry.html About Data Bridge Market Research: An absolute way to predict what the future holds is to understand the current trend! Data Bridge Market Research presented itself as an unconventional and neoteric market research and consulting firm with an unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are committed to uncovering the best market opportunities and nurturing effective information for your business to thrive in the marketplace. Data Bridge strives to provide appropriate solutions to complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process. Data Bridge is a set of pure wisdom and experience that was formulated and framed in 2015 in Pune. Contact Us: - Data Bridge Market Research Email: - sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com This release was published on openPR.

Schieffelin has 18 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists as Clemson hands Penn State first loss 75-67Man City crisis deepens with loss to Juventus in Champions League as Barcelona and Arsenal win

TORONTO - CBC is restoring its annual live New Year’s Eve celebration. A year after the national broadcaster cancelled the 2024 special due to “financial pressures,” it says the countdown is back on the TV schedule to mark the dawn of 2025. Programming begins Dec. 31 with the one-hour “22 Minutes New Year’s Eve Pregame Special,” a satirical reflection on the year passed with the cast of the political comedy series “This Hour Has 22 Minutes.” It will be followed by “Canada Live! Countdown 2025,” a special hosted by news anchor Adrienne Arsenault and singer Jann Arden broadcasting live from Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre, and anchor Ian Hanomansing and comedian Ali Hassan at Vancouver’s VanDusen Botanical Garden. The coast-to-coast show will feature CBC reporters across the country as they count down to the new year in each of the six time zones. Last year, the CBC replaced its live New Year’s programming with a taped Just For Laughs special hosted by comedian Mae Martin. It left Canadian viewers without a homegrown countdown on any of the major networks. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2024.on Thursday, the White House told reporters that they had not gathered any evidence that reported swarms of drones flying off the Eastern Seaboard of the United States pose any type of national security threat. Reported sightings of the drones began popping up in November, with a high concentration coming in and off the coast of New Jersey. Biden administration officials had previously shot down reports that an Iranian "mothership" was operating in the Atlantic Ocean and coordinating the drone flights. BIDEN ADMINISTRATION RULEMAKING BLITZES AIM TO TRUMP-PROOF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby briefed reporters Thursday afternoon, giving an update on the federal government's investigation into the sightings. "We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat or have a foreign Nexus," he claimed. "Upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully." Kirby added that the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigations are assisting New Jersey officials in investigating the sightings, "using numerous detection methods to better understand their origin. BIDEN’S ‘TRUMP-PROOFING’ FOREIGN POLICY REVOLVES AROUND UKRAINE AND NATO "Using very sophisticated electronic detection technologies provided by federal authorities, we have not been able to, and neither have state or local law enforcement authorities, corroborate any of the reported visual sightings," he continued. Kirby did say that the reported drone flights highlight a "gap in authorities." He urged Congress to "pass important legislation that will extend and expand existing counter-drone authorities so that we are better prepared to identify and mitigate any possible threats to airports or other critical infrastructure." CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER You can watch Kirby's remarks in full below.The Friday, November 22 episode of AEW Rampage averaged 249,000 viewers on TNT, up 33.9 percent from the previous week (which went against Netflix’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing special). This is the highest audience total for the show since October 11. Rampage drew a 0.09 rating in the 18-49 demo, finishing 10th on the primetime cable charts. That’s up 50 percent from last week and ties the best rating the show has done in that category since September 20. The show faced weaker competition than it has in recent weeks. An NBA game on ESPN and a college football game on Fox only aired against the first half of Rampage. As compared to the same week in 2023, Rampage’s overall viewership was down 5.7 percent while the 18-49 rating was up 12.5 percent. It’s the first time since July 12th the show has had a year-over-year increase in the demo. Listed below are the last 11 weeks of overall viewership totals and 18-49 demo ratings for Rampage, as well as the 10-week average in both categories. This week’s show was up 4.1 percent in viewers and 12.5 percent in 18-49 as compared to the recent averages.

Assad’s secret police arrested and tortured me four times. My crime? I had same name as a wanted manChanging colors is as energetically demanding for octopuses as jogging for 23 minutes is for humans. You might not realize this, but quickly changing colors, as octopuses do, is energetically costly. This, according to a recently published study by two biologists who measured oxygen consumption rates in live octopuses whilst they changed colors. Rapid color change is an adaptation that has evolved multiple times in animals. It is used for dynamic camouflage, communication, thermoregulation, or ultraviolet light protection. Color changes can occur quickly, as with chameleons, tree frogs or octopuses, or slowly, such as with snow hares or many types of birds. However, our understanding of the evolution of rapid color changes is hindered by a lack of information about the energetic costs associated with this ability. Amongst all animals, the speed of color changes and of overall diversity of color patterns seen in cephalopods is unmatched. This ability is a kind of superpower. Cephalopods, particularly many species of octopuses, possess specialized skin cells called chromatophores. These are tiny flexible sacs of pigments that are connected to 15 to 25 radial muscle fibers, resembling the spokes of a wheel attached to the hub. When the muscles are relaxed, the pigment sacs shrink to nearly invisible specks and the octopus appears to be white, but when the muscles contract, the sacs expand, spreading pigment granules across a small area of the skin and revealing the color. Not only are these color changes rapid, but in octopuses, these changes are remarkably precise. Each chromatophore is like a tiny pixel on a computer screen and shallow water octopuses, like the ruby octopus in this study, have an astonishing 230 chromatophores per square millimeter of skin — far exceeding the 180 pixels per square millimeter on a 4K 13-inch laptop monitor. By precisely controlling each chromatophore using their nervous system, octopuses can produce intricate camouflage patterns or elaborate visual displays. Do octopuses pay a metabolic price for their colorful superpower? “Though octopuses make color change look effortless, it isn’t for them,” said Kirt Onthank, a professor of biology at Walla Walla University and director of the Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory . He noted that the high energetic costs associated with the chromatophore system would put pressure on octopuses to minimize these costs, and this may explain the use of dens or nocturnal lifestyles seen in some octopus species and reductions in chromatophore systems amongst deep-sea species. To better understand the metabolic costs of rapid color change, Ms Sonner, a Master’s student in biology, and Professor Onthank looked to octopuses for answers. They captured 17 wild ruby octopuses (also known as East Pacific red octopus, Octopus rubescens ) and measured their oxygen consumption before, during and after they changed colors to calculate how much energy they used during this process. Ms Sonner and Professor Onthank also measured chromatophore metabolic demands by collecting small skin samples and placing them under a flashing blue light, which activates the chromatophores, causing color changes. By measuring the metabolic demands of a skin sample, Ms Sonner and Professor Onthank were able to separate the energetic impacts of induced color change from the stress of manipulating an animal in a lab environment. Ms Sonner and Professor Onthank found that the average octopus uses 219 micromoles of oxygen per hour when fully changing color, equivalent to the energy the octopus uses for all its other bodily functions whilst at rest, including digestion, respiration, circulation and organ function. To give you an idea of how metabolically demanding this process is for octopuses, Professor Onthank estimated that if humans had color-changing octopus skin, we would burn an extra 390 calories per day, roughly the same as completing a 23-minute run. “Our results show that the octopus chromatophore system has an exceptionally high metabolic demand,” reported Ms Sonner and Professor Onthank in their study. “Due to the involvement of the nervous and muscular systems, it is likely that cephalopod color change is one of the most energetically expensive forms of color change, so our estimate likely represents the upper bound of the cost of color change in the animal kingdom.” Ms Sonner and Professor Onthank also suggested that the high energetic cost of changing color may explain common octopus behaviors, particularly hiding in dens and only venturing out at night. “Octopuses outside of dens employ high degrees of crypsis, and consequently, a high proportion of chromatophores are active the majority of the time,” wrote Ms Sonner and Professor Onthank in their study. “However, octopuses in dens would be hidden from predators and not actively hunting prey, and therefore unlikely to be using their chromatophore system extensively. This reduction in energetic demand may be the reason that many octopus species spend the majority of their time in dens.” Source: Sofie C. Sonner and Kirt L. Onthank (2024). High energetic cost of color change in octopuses , Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 121 (48):e2408386121 | doi: 10.1073/pnas.2408386121 Questions emailed to senior author, Professor Onthank, about this study went unanswered. © Copyright by GrrlScientist | hosted by Forbes | LinkTr.ee Socials: Bluesky | CounterSocial | Gab | LinkedIn | Mastodon Science | MeWe | Spoutible | SubStack | Threads | Tribel | Tumblr | TwitterRaiders name starting quarterback for Friday’s game against Chiefs

The UN General Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, a symbolic gesture rejected by the United States and Israel. The resolution -- adopted by a vote of 158-9, with 13 abstentions -- urges "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire," and "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages" -- wording similar to a text vetoed by Washington in the Security Council last month. At that time, Washington used its veto power on the Council -- as it has before -- to protect its ally Israel, which has been at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian militant group's October 7, 2023 attack. It has insisted on the idea of making a ceasefire conditional on the release of all hostages in Gaza, saying otherwise that Hamas has no incentive to free those in captivity. Deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood repeated that position Wednesday, saying it would be "shameful and wrong" to adopt the text. Ahead of the vote, Israel's UN envoy Danny Danon said: "The resolutions before the assembly today are beyond logic. (...) The vote today is not a vote for compassion. It is a vote for complicity." The General Assembly often finds itself taking up measures that cannot get through the Security Council, which has been largely paralyzed on hot-button issues such as Gaza and Ukraine due to internal politics, and this time is no different. The resolution, which is non-binding, demands "immediate access" to widespread humanitarian aid for the citizens of Gaza, especially in the besieged north of the territory. Dozens of representatives of UN member states addressed the Assembly before the vote to offer their support to the Palestinians. "Gaza doesn't exist anymore. It is destroyed," said Slovenia's UN envoy Samuel Zbogar. "History is the harshest critic of inaction." That criticism was echoed by Algeria's deputy UN ambassador Nacim Gaouaoui, who said: "The price of silence and failure in the face of the Palestinian tragedy is a very heavy price, and it will be heavier tomorrow." Hamas's October 2023 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. That count includes hostages who died or were killed while being held in Gaza. Militants abducted 251 hostages, 96 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed at least 44,805 people, a majority of them civilians, according to data from the Hamas-run health ministry that is considered reliable by the United Nations. "Gaza today is the bleeding heart of Palestine," Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour said last week during the first day of debate in the Assembly's special session on the issue. "The images of our children burning in tents, with no food in their bellies and no hopes and no horizon for the future, and after having endured pain and loss for more than a year, should haunt the conscience of the world and prompt action to end this nightmare," he said, calling for an end to the "impunity." After Wednesday's vote, he said "we will keep knocking on the doors of the Security Council and the General Assembly until we see an immediate and unconditional ceasefire put in place." The Gaza resolution calls on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to present "proposals on how the United Nations could help to advance accountability" by using existing mechanisms or creating new ones based on past experience. The Assembly, for example, created an international mechanism to gather evidence of crimes committed in Syria starting from the outbreak of civil war in 2011. A second resolution calling on Israel to respect the mandate of the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and allow it to continue its operations was passed Wednesday by a vote of 159-9 with 11 abstentions. Israel has voted to ban the organization starting January 28, after accusing some UNRWA employees of taking part in Hamas's devastating attack. abd/sst/jgc/nro/desMP High Court Chief Justice Stresses Impartiality & Sensitivity In Community Mediation For Swift Dispute Resolution