OK Go is rolling into 2025 with a new music video for their latest single, A Stone Only Rolls Downhill, and as usual, it’s both completely unique and mind-bending! Directed by Damian Kulash and Chris Buongiorno, the video was crafted using 64 iPhones playing back 64 separate recordings in perfect harmony. The result? A mesmerizing cascade of visuals that perfectly complements the song’s reflective lyrics.
It’s here: our brand-new music video for our brand-new single, “A Stone Only Rolls Downhill,” which is now streaming everywhere one could hope to stream. There are many things to say, and we plan to say them very soon. For now, we’ll leave you to it. This is OK Go on 64 phones. (65, including yours.) Enjoy some well-deserved screen-in-screen-in-screen time.
Mark your calendars for February 11, because Civilization 7 is about to make its grand debut with some exciting updates that are sure to elevate the franchise! The new release focuses on two key improvements: customization and reducing micromanagement, making it the most user-friendly Civ game yet.
The visuals are the standout feature, with Civilization 7 being the best-looking entry in the series. The mountains have a detailed rocky texture, settlements look like real cities, and the water effects add a sense of discovery when exploring uncharted waters. These visual upgrades make the game world feel more alive than ever.
Customization has received a major boost, as players can now choose a new civilization with each new Age. Starting as Greece in the Antiquity Age could lead you to Spain or Norman in the Exploration Age, offering new strategies as the game progresses. Leaders unlock different civilizations, adding even more depth and flexibility to the gameplay.
Micromanagement is significantly reduced with streamlined mechanics. Gone are the workers; their duties are now integrated into settlement expansion and production. Combat has been sped up with the introduction of Commander units that can carry and deploy entire armies, making movement more efficient.
For newcomers to the series, Civilization 7 is one of the most accessible entries, ironing out complexities that might have deterred first-time players. With its focus on flexibility and strategic variety, it’s easier to experiment with different playstyles without worrying about getting stuck in a less-than-ideal setup.
Overall, Civilization 7 offers a more streamlined experience without sacrificing the depth the series is known for. The game is not only visually stunning but also faster and more adaptable than its predecessors, making it a great entry point for new players and a solid update for veterans.
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The wait is over! After months of speculation, Nintendo has officially unveiled the Switch 2! In a brand-new video, we get our first look at the upcoming portable game console. While the video doesn’t dive into the specs, it makes one thing clear: the Switch 2 brings a sleek, refined design that stands out as a more mature, polished version of its predecessor. Gone is the toy-like appearance, but don’t worry — it still carries that signature splash of color.
Get ready, because the Switch 2 is set to drop in 2025!
Update 1: While the original Switch was priced at $299 at release, the Switch 2 will reportedly be priced at $449.99 or $499.99 for the Mario Kart bundle.
Update 2: Nintendo revealed plans for hands-on showcase events starting in early April and running through mid-June across various cities worldwide. These events suggest that the console’s release will likely follow their conclusion, pointing to a potential launch window in June or July 2025.
Update 3: In November, Nintendo confirmed that its new console would include backwards compatibility, but it was unclear if this would apply to digital or physical games. Today’s reveal trailer answered this by showing the system playing a physical cartridge of Super Mario Bros. Wonder. However, the trailer also noted that “certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported or fully compatible” with the new console, raising questions about its game library.
For today’s edition of “Deal of the Day,” here are some of the best deals we stumbled on while browsing the web this morning! Please note that Geeks are Sexy might get a small commission from qualifying purchases done through our posts. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
In the grand scheme of things, 45 years is not a long time. Back in 1980, it would take me three weeks to run a computer program, written in the programming language Cobol, that worked using punched cards. Each card represented one line of code and it required multiple re-punches to correct errors. Eventually, I would have a working program that did something useful.
How times have quickly changed in technology – now, my mobile phone has vast processing capability compared to the machine that processed that Cobol program. With the help of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, that same phone is able to instantly translate between languages on a live call, among many other features.
With eye-catching announcements being made all the time, what can we expect in 2025 from the world of technology? Here are seven developments to look out for.
1. AI agents come into their own
Unsurprisingly, we’re likely to see further important developments in AI. One area that’s likely to take off is the use of AI agents. These are intelligent programs that are given objectives by humans and work out the best ways to achieve those objectives. Agents can write computer code, which could have a big impact on the way that tech companies work and could allow people without advanced coding skills to develop programs, apps or games.
You could also see car plants with no people, running with robots operated by AI agents. In theory, mortgage applications could be assessed and approved by agent technology. Individual apps on a smartphone could be replaced by an agent interface that performs multiple tasks for the user.
A combination of agent technology with robotics could be revolutionary. We are reaching a point where robots don’t just emulate the tasks of humans, but are reasoning and answering to us directly.
One candidate for hosting AI agent technology is Optimus, a humanoid robot built by Tesla. Elon Musk has said that the electric car maker will start using Optimus for tasks within the company from 2025. He added that the automaton could be ready for sale to other businesses by 2026.
Agents are tailor-made for industry tasks such as project management. The consulting firm Gartner suggests that by 2030, some 80% of project management tasks will be run by AI.
2. Customisation, with help from AI
In education, the focus has traditionally been on linear programmes of study, with pre-determined entry and exit points lasting a number of years. Imagine a course of study that is uniquely tailored to individual students based on their experience, skills and abilities. Bespoke degree programmes centred around the student are already being explored in the US with AI.
These are not just bespoke with regard to the content and curriculum, but also in recognising the special needs of the student or indeed how the learner may feel at any one time. This can include AI that adjusts the learning activity and study based on how much sleep you had last night, which is linked to smartwatch data.
Education isn’t the only area where AI could help with customisation. The management consultancy Accenture suggests that private companies will be able to train their own, custom large language models, the technology behind AI chatbots such as ChatGPT. These could be trained with data specific to particular business areas, making them more effective for those firms. But these companies would have to use billions of pieces of data. We’ll see progress towards this objective in 2025.
Small language models (SLMs) are being developed to perform precise tasks more efficiently. They don’t need to be trained on as much data and require less computing power. This means they can be used more easily on so-called “edge devices” – smartphones, tablets and laptops – without relying on computing resources hosted in the cloud.
3. Towards practical quantum computers
Developments in quantum computing could lead to machines that can solve complex tasks that are beyond the capability of most classical computers. Researchers have moved away from trying to break records for the number of basic processing units, called qubits, and towards correcting the errors that quantum computers are currently prone to. This is a step towards practical quantum computers that have some useful advantage over classical machines.
Small language models allow AI to be more easily used on edge devices like smartphones.Raman Shaunia / Shutterstock
4. Blending physical and virtual worlds
Augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality could be used more widely. Virtual reality immerses users in a computer-generated world. Augmented reality superimposes computer-generated elements onto the real world, while the latter remains visible. Mixed reality, refers to a set of immersive technologies including augmented reality, that provide different “blends” of physical and virtual worlds.
Blockchain technology, which allows records to be stored across a network of computers, is set to affect supply chains and different sectors from healthcare to finance. Blockchain increases transparency and traceability, allowing for the tracking of products from origin to consumer, it also offers enhanced security and improved efficiency with automated processes.
Patient data in healthcare could be made more secure with blockchain technology. The exchange of data could become seamless and medical supplies could be tracked. Financial transactions could be made more robust, faster and cheaper and there would be a greater degree of financial inclusion. This would provide access to a wider group who may not have had banking or lending services before.
6. The dawn of 6G communications
We will enjoy faster connectivity, with the introduction of 6G wireless communication networks. The process of standardising 6G technology will begin in 2025. Clear 6G global standards and compatibility between networks is vital for the technology’s success.
7. More advanced self-driving technology
Self-driving vehicles are also set to see a number of advancements going forward. Self-driving cars are classified into six levels, according to their autonomy – from 0 (fully manual) to 5 (fully autonomous). Current self-driving taxis deployed in US cities such as San Francisco are at level 4 (high driving automation).
They can handle most driving tasks without human input but with some restrictions. In 2025, we’re likely to see progress towards level 5. This is classified as full autonomy, and describes vehicles that operate without any human intervention. Mercedes will increase the speed of its Drive Pilot self-driving system in 2025 and Tesla is developing its own Robotaxi, which should be available “before 2027”, according to Elon Musk.
We can expect technology to be able to achieve tasks that used to be the exclusive domain of humans. It will be able to complete work tasks and report back. This will lead to efficiencies and big changes to work. We’ll also see technology that enhances our leisure time and quality of life.
Lewis Endlar, Programme Director MSc Project Management and Lecturer in Business, Keele Business School, Keele University
Get ready for a legendary showdown as Street Fighter collides with Power Rangers in this action-packed video featuring three epic fights:
-Ryu vs. the Green Ranger: Two warriors clash in a fierce battle of skill and strength (00:00 – 03:20)
-Ryu and Chun-Li Team Up With the Rangers: The heroes unite to take on M. Bison and Rita Repulsa’s evil forces, including corrupted Rangers and a supercharged Bison! (03:21 – 10:54)
-Scorpion vs. the White Ranger: Mortal Kombat enters the fray with a fiery duel to close out the action (11:00 – 13:33)
Featuring jaw-dropping transformations (Ryu Ranger!), high-energy choreography, and the ultimate clash of dimensions, this crossover is a nostalgic spectacle for fans of all three franchises.
Just a quick post to let you guys know that Amazon currently has an amazing promo offering 3 4K movies for just $33! There’s over 150 titles available as I’m writing this, so be sure to check ’em all out!
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Meta’s decision to change its content moderation policies by replacing centralized fact-checking teams with user-generated community labeling has stirred up a storm of reactions. But taken at face value, the changes raise the question of the effectiveness of Meta’s old policy, fact-checking, and its new one, community comments.
With billions of people worldwide accessing their services, platforms such as Meta’s Facebook and Instagram have a responsibility to ensure that users are not harmed by consumer fraud, hate speech, misinformation or other online ills. Given the scale of this problem, combating online harms is a serious societal challenge. Content moderation plays a role in addressing these online harms.
Moderating content involves three steps. The first is scanning online content – typically, social media posts – to detect potentially harmful words or images. The second is assessing whether the flagged content violates the law or the platform’s terms of service. The third is intervening in some way. Interventions include removing posts, adding warning labels to posts, and diminishing how much a post can be seen or shared.
Content moderation can range from user-driven moderation models on community-based platforms such as Wikipedia to centralized content moderation models such as those used by Instagram. Research shows that both approaches are a mixed bag.
Does fact-checking work?
Meta’s previous content moderation policy relied on third-party fact-checking organizations, which brought problematic content to the attention of Meta staff. Meta’s U.S. fact-checking organizations were AFP USA, Check Your Fact, Factcheck.org, Lead Stories, PolitiFact, Science Feedback, Reuters Fact Check, TelevisaUnivision, The Dispatch and USA TODAY.
Fact-checking relies on impartial expert review. Research shows that it can reduce the effects of misinformation but is not a cure-all. Also, fact-checking’s effectiveness depends on whether users perceive the role of fact-checkers and the nature of fact-checking organizations as trustworthy.
Crowdsourced content moderation
In his announcement, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted that content moderation at Meta would shift to a community notes model similar to X, formerly Twitter. X’s community notes is a crowdsourced fact-checking approach that allows users to write notes to inform others about potentially misleading posts.
Studies are mixed on the effectiveness of X-style content moderation efforts. A large-scale study found little evidence that the introduction of community notes significantly reduced engagement with misleading tweets on X. Rather, it appears that such crowd-based efforts might be too slow to effectively reduce engagement with misinformation in the early and most viral stage of its spread.
There have been some successes from quality certifications and badges on platforms. However, community-provided labels might not be effective in reducing engagement with misinformation, especially when they’re not accompanied by appropriate training about labeling for a platform’s users. Research also shows that X’s Community Notes is subject to partisan bias.
Crowdsourced initiatives such as the community-edited online reference Wikipedia depend on peer feedback and rely on having a robust system of contributors. As I have written before, a Wikipedia-style model needs strong mechanisms of community governance to ensure that individual volunteers follow consistent guidelines when they authenticate and fact-check posts. People could game the system in a coordinated manner and up-vote interesting and compelling but unverified content.
A safe and trustworthy online space is akin to a public good, but without motivated people willing to invest effort for the greater common good, the overall user experience could suffer.
Algorithms on social media platforms aim to maximize engagement. However, given that policies that encourage engagement can also result in harm, content moderation also plays a role in consumer safety and product liability.
This aspect of content moderation has implications for businesses that either use Meta for advertising or to connect with their consumers. Content moderation is also a brand safety issue because platforms have to balance their desire to keep the social media environment safer against that of greater engagement.
AI content everywhere
Content moderation is likely to be further strained by growing amounts of content generated by artificial intelligence tools. AI detection tools are flawed, and developments in generative AI are challenging people’s ability to differentiate between human-generated and AI-generated content.
In January 2023, for example, OpenAI launched a classifier that was supposed to differentiate between texts generated by humans and those generated by AI. However, the company discontinued the tool in July 2023 due to its low accuracy.
There is potential for a flood of inauthentic accounts – AI bots – that exploit algorithmic and human vulnerabilities to monetize false and harmful content. For example, they could commit fraud and manipulate opinions for economic or political gain.
