Afghanistan opium poppy cultivation surges 330% despite ban, UN says
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan surged by 330 per cent in 2026 despite a four-year ban, the United Nations said on Thursday. Afghan authorit...
Netflix has used generative artificial intelligence to produce a visual effects scene in an original series for the first time, marking a new step for the streaming platform.
Netflix has used generative artificial intelligence (AI) in one of its original shows for the first time, the company confirmed this week.
The streaming giant applied the technology in The Eternaut, an Argentine science fiction series, to create a dramatic building collapse scene. According to Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, the generative AI helped the production team finish the complex sequence ten times faster and at significantly lower cost than traditional methods.
“The cost just would not have been feasible for a show of that budget,” Sarandos said, calling it “the very first generative AI final footage to appear on screen in a Netflix original.”
His comments came as Netflix posted a 16 percent rise in revenue to 11 billion dollars for the April to June quarter, driven by strong performances from shows like the final season of Squid Game, which has drawn over 122 million views.
Generative AI tools can create realistic video and imagery from text prompts. Their growing use in entertainment, however, remains contentious. Critics warn of ethical concerns, copyright issues, and potential job losses. All of these topics were central during the 2023 Hollywood strikes.
Filmmaker Tyler Perry notably paused an 800 million dollar studio expansion in 2024, citing fears over AI’s rapid advancement.
Still, many in the industry say AI is becoming indispensable. Davier Yoon, co-founder of Singapore’s CraveFX studio, said it gives smaller teams access to blockbuster level visual quality. “Ultimately, it is the artist who decides what is in the final image, not AI,” he added.
The Middle East conflict remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue alongside renewed Houthi attacks. Iran says it remains open to mediation, while the Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the kingdom.
Rescuers searched the wreckage of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Thursday as the death toll rose to a provisional 74, making it the country's second fatal high-speed rail disaster this year.
Strengthened U.S.-Central Asia ties reflect a broader trend in international relations, with growing emphasis on developing alternative transit routes and diversifying energy and critical mineral supply networks to gain geopolitical influence.
At least 68 people have been killed after two high-speed trains collided in Spain on Wednesday, in the second deadly rail disaster in less than a year on a major route linking Madrid with the southern Andalusia region.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks.
Two of the United States' largest technology companies reported robust revenue growth in their latest quarterly results, underscoring the continued impact of artificial intelligence and cloud computing on the sector.
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has praised Kazakhstan’s AI ambitions, highlighting its potential to become a global hub for Physical AI, launch startups and transform industries.
Türkiye is preparing to sue Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, over age-inappropriate content on social media, Turkish Education Minister Yusuf Tekin has said.
A judge in the U.S. state of New Mexico has ordered Meta to pay $25 billion after a jury found the company misled consumers, in a case linked to the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping the technology landscape, fueling new cybersecurity threats, intensifying the battle for AI chips and raising questions about safety. From autonomous hacking to SpaceX’s mobile ambitions, here are five key developments shaping the industry.
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