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Meta teams with XGS Energy to build a 150 MW geothermal power plant

Meta partners with XGS Energy to develop a 150 MW geothermal power plant in New Mexico.
The specific location of the power plant has not been disclosed yet.
This partnership aims to advance geothermal energy development.
Geothermal energy is gaining popularity due to its ability to produce emissions-free electricity continuously.
Advanced geothermal technology could potentially meet a significant portion of data center electricity demand by 2030.
XGS Energy utilizes a closed-loop system to minimize water loss and improve heat transfer.
The collaboration between XGS Energy and Meta follows a trend of geothermal startups securing deals.
Fervo Energy recently secured $206 million for its Cape Station geothermal power plant.
Google has made commitments to geothermal power, including deals with Baseload Capital and Fervo Energy.
XGS Energy raised $20 million last year to develop a commercial-scale geothermal prototype.
Tech companies and investors are increasingly interested in geothermal energy due to its sustainability and reliability.
Meta's partnership with XGS Energy is part of the growing trend towards utilizing geothermal power.
Geothermal technology has the potential to play a significant role in meeting clean energy demands.
Rising interest in geothermal energy is evident through recent investments and partnerships in the sector.
The renewable energy sector, including geothermal, is attracting attention for its environmental benefits and reliability.
Geothermal startups are exploring innovative approaches to enhance efficiency and sustainability of geothermal power plants.

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The Verge

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Meta inks a new geothermal energy deal to support AI

Meta has signed a new geothermal energy deal with XGS Energy to add 150 megawatts of electricity to power its data center in New Mexico.
The agreement aims to support Meta's growing energy needs for AI infrastructure.
Geothermal startups, like XGS Energy, are benefitting from the increasing demand for power from data centers.
Geothermal plants generate electricity by tapping into Earth's heat, but the US only gets a small fraction of its electricity from geothermal sources.
Companies like XGS Energy are working to make geothermal energy more accessible and efficient.
XGS Energy focuses on reusing water and preventing it from escaping into the environment during geothermal energy production.
Meta made a previous 150MW deal with Sage Geosystems for geothermal power plant development.
The partnership with XGS Energy is part of Meta's commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2030.
The initiative with XGS Energy is planned to be operational by 2030 in two phases.
Meta's move towards cleaner energy sources is essential to achieve its environmental goals.
Last week, Meta announced plans to acquire more carbon pollution-free electricity by reviving an old nuclear reactor.
In contrast, a utility in Louisiana proposed building new gas-fired power plants to support a Meta data center.
Meta, like other tech companies, faces challenges in reducing its carbon footprint while expanding its AI capabilities.
The deal with XGS Energy focuses on enhancing geothermal energy accessibility and sustainability in New Mexico.
The partnership aligns with Meta's efforts to adopt cleaner energy sources and reduce its environmental impact.

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Inspiring Creativity That Brings People Together

Instagram aims to be a platform where people unite through creativity, encouraging users to share their ideas despite self-doubt.
As Instagram turns 15, the focus is on investing in creativity, launching new features like Edits for video creatives and Trials to support creative chances.
Stories of successful creators, such as Tyler, The Creator and Rosalía, are highlighted to inspire others to take creative risks.
New features like allowing discreet profile posts, reordering grid posts, and trial reels aim to reduce pressure and boost creativity on the platform.
For emerging creators, Instagram introduces Drafts to provide financial support, connections, and collaboration opportunities for their projects.
Partnerships with artists like Rosalía for unique fonts in Stories, and features like sharing Spotify music in Notes, enhance creative expression on Instagram.
The platform continues to evolve with user feedback, introducing tools like restyle editing and prioritizing lightweight creative features like Close Friends and Stories.
Investing in creativity and supporting emerging talents are core components of Instagram's mission to empower creators and artists worldwide.
With a focus on reducing pressure and promoting creative expression, Instagram celebrates individual creative chances.
By enabling users to share their creativity, Instagram reinforces its commitment to supporting diverse forms of self-expression and fostering a creative community.

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TechCrunch

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Instagram will finally let you rearrange your grid

Instagram will now allow users to rearrange their grid and quietly post to their profile without content appearing in followers' feeds.
Users can stream songs from Spotify to their Instagram Notes and support emerging creators with a new initiative.
Rearranging grids has been a highly requested feature, enabling users to customize the appearance and highlight specific content.
Posts on profiles traditionally appeared in chronological order until this update.
Instagram shelved the grid rearrangement feature in 2022 but is now ready to launch it in 2025.
The ability to post content quietly without broadcasting to followers' feeds is being tested and will be rolled out more widely.
This feature will aid users in sharing content without feeling pressured or intimidated.
It provides added flexibility for content placement and aims to reduce performance pressure.
The new Spotify integration allows real-time sharing of songs from the streaming service to Instagram Notes.
Instagram's Drafts initiative will invest in emerging talent, offering financial support, connections, and collaboration opportunities.

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The Verge

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Instagram Notes can now show the Spotify song you’re playing

Instagram now allows users to display the Spotify song they are listening to above their profile icons.
Instagram aims to enhance creativity for creators by helping them share their music tastes and content with confidence.
A new feature enables automatic sharing of the current Spotify song in Instagram Notes.
The feature updates the song title in real-time to reflect the creator's music preferences and mood.
It will also include an 'add to Spotify' button as part of the Meta partnership announced in November.
Instagram is developing features to help users manage nerves when posting content.
The reels experiment, allowing creators to test videos on new audiences before sharing, is now widely available.
About 40 percent of creators testing this feature began posting reels more frequently.
Instagram is working on features to post directly to profiles without pushing to followers' feeds and rearrange post order on grids.
These features were previously mentioned by Mosseri in January but availability to the public remains unknown.

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Massivelyop

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Vague Patch Notes: MMORPG development is a guessing game

MMORPG development is a guessing game where decisions often stem from educated guesses based on player feedback and historical data but remain uncertain.
The unpredictability of MMO development can lead to both successful and disappointing expansions like in World of Warcraft, highlighting the inherent risks in making changes.
Making hit MMOs or movies involves uncertainty, with even well-informed decisions sometimes resulting in failure due to unforeseen circumstances.
Despite criticisms, developers are continuously striving to improve games based on imperfect information and evolving player preferences.
It's crucial to acknowledge that all development, including for popular MMOs like Final Fantasy XIV and The Elder Scrolls Online, involves making informed guesses.
Players should maintain a level of understanding that game developers are not infallible and that development decisions often rely on educated assumptions and past experiences.
While calling out missteps is valid, it's essential to recognize that decisions made in the past were based on the best available information at that time.
Analysis of vague patch notes and ambiguous changes within the MMO genre can provide insights into the intricate world of game development and player expectations.

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The Verge

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Meta cracks down on nudify apps after being exposed

Meta is taking legal action against a company called Joy Timeline for advertising generative AI apps that enable users to 'nudify' people without consent on Meta's platforms.
The lawsuit follows a CBS News investigation that revealed numerous ads for these digital undressing apps on Meta's platforms.
Meta aims to prevent Joy Timeline from listing its ads for CrushAI nudify apps across its social media platforms as the company tried to circumvent Meta's ad review process.
Ads for AI deepfake nude tools were found on Instagram even after Meta removed ads flagged by the investigation.
The ads targeted men in the US, UK, and EU, violating safety policies, driving blackmail schemes, and often ending up in children's hands.
Such apps are predominantly advertised for use against women and female celebrities.
404 Media also reported on nonconsensual AI deepfake creation tools on Instagram in April 2024, leading Apple and Google to remove flagged apps from their marketplaces.
San Francisco filed a lawsuit against 16 frequently visited AI 'undressing' deepfake websites in August 2024.

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Taking Action Against ‘Nudify’ Apps

Meta is taking action against 'nudify' apps that use AI to create fake non-consensual nude or sexually explicit images.
Meta has strict rules against non-consensual intimate imagery and doesn't allow the promotion of nudify apps.
They remove ads, Facebook Pages, Instagram accounts, and block links and search terms related to nudify apps.
Meta is suing Joy Timeline HK Limited, the entity behind CrushAI apps, for creating AI-generated explicit images without consent.
Legal action aims to prevent the advertising of CrushAI apps on Meta platforms.
Meta is sharing information with other tech companies to help remove nudify apps advertised across the internet.
They've provided over 3,800 unique URLs to participating tech companies to investigate and take action.
Meta is strengthening their enforcement against adversarial advertisers who exploit platforms for financial gain.
New technology has been developed to identify these ads, even if they don't include nudity.
Meta is working with external experts and specialist teams to detect safety-related terms and phrases within ads.
Efforts are underway to disrupt networks of accounts running ads for these services.
Meta supports legislation like the U.S. TAKE IT DOWN Act to combat online image abuse.
They champion legislation allowing parents to oversee and approve teen app downloads.
This would help parents prevent teens from downloading nudify apps from App Stores.
Meta continues to support tools and initiatives to prevent the spread of non-consensual intimate imagery.
The actions are part of Meta's ongoing commitment to protecting its community from abusive content.

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Pymnts

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Meta Poaches Top Engineers for AGI Team

Meta has poached top engineers from tech firms for its AGI team, including Jack Rae from Google DeepMind.
Engineers from Scale AI, including CEO Alexandr Wang, are expected to join Meta after a multibillion-dollar investment.
Meta plans to hire 50 people for the AGI team, including a chief scientist to oversee it.
Mark Zuckerberg is actively recruiting AI researchers and engineers for Meta's AI priorities.
Zuckerberg aims to elevate Meta's position in the AGI field by building a strong team.
Meta is considering a significant investment in Scale AI, which provides data labeling services for machine learning.
The potential investment would be Meta's largest outside expenditure on AI.
Zuckerberg announced plans to invest billions in capital expenditures and grow AI teams.
The effort is aimed at driving innovation and extending American technology leadership.
Meta's focus on AI signifies a shift towards enhancing core products and business.
The company aims for 2025 to be a 'defining year' for its AI initiatives.
Zuckerberg's more hands-on approach to management reflects his commitment to AI development.
Meta's recruitment drive reflects Zuckerberg's ambition to strengthen the company's AI capabilities.
The goal is for Meta to become a leader in AGI, enabling machines to perform tasks at human levels.
The reported investments and recruitment efforts position Meta for significant advancements in AI technology.

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Pymnts

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Meta Debuts AI to Help Robots ‘Understand the Physical World’

Meta has introduced V-JEPA 2, an AI model to help AI agents understand the physical world and predict outcomes.
V-JEPA 2 aims to enhance AI agents' abilities in thinking before acting, moving towards advanced machine intelligence.
The model helps AI agents simulate human-like predictive intelligence by utilizing world models for understanding, predicting, and planning.
Meta trained V-JEPA 2 using video data to identify patterns in how people interact with objects and how objects move.
The launch of V-JEPA 2 follows Mark Zuckerberg's recruitment of experts to advance Meta's artificial general intelligence (AGI) goals.
In another AI discussion, Hightouch's co-CEO discussed using technology to combat 'digital fatigue' in marketing.
Emphasizing the importance of valuable consumer-centric marketing over generic promotions, the conversation delved into the challenges of engaging consumers.
It was highlighted that current marketing strategies often lead to consumer burnout due to oversaturation of solicitations.
The issue was attributed to a lack of adaptive strategies in marketing approaches and a reliance on outdated practices.
Hightouch's stance is that traditional marketing channels are inadequate in delivering personalized and engaging experiences compared to modern digital channels.
The article was originally published on PYMNTS.com.

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The Verge

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Meta’s new AI video tool can put you in a desert (or at least try to)

Meta has introduced new video editing tools using AI that allow users to transform videos with preset prompts.
The tool, currently free for a limited time, offers over 50 preset prompts to edit videos, change backgrounds, themes, and attire.
Presets are similar to Instagram filters, offering options like changing a video into a video game, anime, desert scene, or dressing users in an AI-generated tuxedo.
The tool alters the first 10 seconds of a video and is available in the US and over a dozen countries on the Meta AI app, Meta.AI website, and Edits app.
Users can directly share edited videos on Facebook, Instagram, or the Discover feed in the Meta AI app.
While Meta's examples look impressive, users have reported mixed results when using the tool themselves.
An attempt to make dogs in a backyard look like they were in the desert resulted in orange grounds, purple cacti, and a surreal glow on the dogs.
Another attempt to restyle a user as an anime character gave them fluorescent pink eyes and lips.
Custom prompts are not available yet, but Meta plans to enable users to edit videos with custom text prompts later this year.

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Kotaku

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The Villain From Tony Hawk's Underground Is In THPS 3+4

Players can find a classic skater villain from Tony Hawk’s Underground in the upcoming release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 in July on consoles and PC.
The villain, Eric Sparrow, will make an appearance in the Waterpark level of the game under an objective called 'Get Back at Eric Sparrow'.
Sparrow, with a new look, behaves similarly to his character in the original PS2 game, pushing the player and yelling at them.
The mission involving Sparrow may include grinding a piece of the map to knock over a large water-filled bucket above him.
Jeff Gertsmann revealed Sparrow's appearance in a video showcasing b-roll footage of the game from Activision.
THPS 3+4 is a full remake of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4 with enhanced visuals and new levels.
It's unsure if there are plans for a full remake of Tony Hawk’s Underground based on Sparrow's cameo.
Many fans and even Tony Hawk himself have expressed interest in a THUG remake.
Tony Hawk mentioned that while he campaigns for remakes, final decisions are made by a larger company.
Iron Galaxy, the developer, might have included Sparrow's cameo as a tribute to THUG, or it could hint at future projects.
The gameplay involving Sparrow in THPS 3+4 is reminiscent of the dynamic with him in the original THUG game.
The video showed Sparrow's appearance in the Waterpark level, but details of completing the mission remain unknown.
The inclusion of Sparrow in THPS 3+4 has sparked speculation among fans about potential future developments in the series.
The news has raised excitement among players who may encounter a nod to the past with Sparrow's presence in the game.
Activision and Iron Galaxy have yet to confirm any additional plans for the Tony Hawk game series, leaving fans eager for updates.
Tony Hawk expressed interest in campaigns for remakes of earlier titles, but decisions ultimately rest with the overseeing company.

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Pymnts

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WhatsApp Submits Evidence Supporting Apple in UK Encryption Case

WhatsApp has joined a legal challenge against the U.K. government's demand for access to encrypted customer data owned by Apple.
The order was issued under the U.K.'s Investigatory Powers Act by the U.K. Home Office in January.
Apple responded by withdrawing iCloud Advanced Data Protection from the U.K. and launched a legal challenge.
Two human rights campaign groups, Privacy International and Liberty, also filed a legal action against the demand.
WhatsApp stated that it would challenge any attempt to weaken encryption and support people's right to private online conversations.
The U.K. Home Office has not specifically targeted WhatsApp with a similar order like the one given to Apple.
A London court hearing related to Apple's appeal was held in secret, with media barred from attending.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis has not confirmed the order's existence but mentioned the importance of balancing privacy and security.
Authorities argue that strong encryption can hinder investigations into serious crimes such as terrorism and child exploitation.
In April, the Investigatory Powers Tribunal revealed that Apple is contesting the order and denied a request to keep case details confidential.

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Siliconangle

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Meta releases J-VEPA 2 AI model that understands the world through video

Meta Platforms Inc. has introduced a new AI model named J-VEPA 2 that enhances AI understanding of the physical world through video interpretation.
The model, building on previous work, helps AI agents and robots think before acting by interpreting video information.
Yann LeCun, Meta's chief AI scientist, highlights the importance of AI developing common sense to predict outcomes in abstract representations of space.
J-VEPA 2 is a state-of-the-art AI world model trained on video to enable robots and AI models to understand and predict interactions in the physical world.
World models allow AI agents to plan actions based on an understanding of the consequences in a simulated environment.
This predictive capability can help prevent workplace accidents by guiding robots on safe paths amidst humans.
V-JEPA 2 helps AI agents understand interactions in the physical world by observing patterns of object interactions and movements.
The model has been tested on robots in labs, demonstrating proficiency in tasks like picking up and relocating objects.
Meta believes world models will revolutionize robotics, making it possible for AI agents to perform physical tasks with minimal training data.
In addition to J-VEPA 2, Meta has introduced new benchmarks for assessing reasoning models using video to understand the world.
Meta's initiative aims to evaluate existing models that leverage video information for comprehensive AI understanding.

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You Can Now Edit Videos With Meta AI

Meta has launched a generative AI video editing feature across its platforms.
Users can edit short-form videos using preset AI prompts for outfit, location, and style transformations.
The feature is currently available in the US and over a dozen countries.
Inspired by Movie Gen models, this is the first step towards introducing AI video generation and editing.
Users can soon edit videos with their own text prompts.
Over 50 editing prompts are available for free for a limited time, making high-quality video edits accessible to everyone.
Users can transform videos into different scenarios like a graphic novel, vintage comic book illustration, or a video game.
Edited videos can be shared directly to Facebook and Instagram.
The feature aims to allow everyone to experiment creatively and share entertaining videos.
Meta collaborated with creators to ensure the editing prompts appeal to their audiences.
The launch is part of Meta's efforts to advance AI video generation, built on previous AI research and models like Make-A-Scene and Movie Gen.
The new feature enables users to express themselves through videos and bring their ideas to life.
Meta envisions the feature changing how creators produce content on their platforms.
The generative AI video editing feature is a step towards more expressive and engaging video content.
The feature integrates into the Edits app and platforms like Meta AI website for easy access.
Meta continues its commitment to pushing AI video generation with essential research and technological advancements.

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