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Palia developer Singularity 6 is now part of the Daybreak Game Company, which announced today that it has acquired the studio "as a wholly owned subsidiary." The takeover comes less than two months after Singularity 6 laid off 36 employees, reportedly representing roughly 40 percent of its workforce.

"We are thrilled to welcome Singularity 6 to Daybreak Games," Daybreak Games CEO Ji Ham said in the acquisition announcement. "S6 is an excellent addition to our development studios, renowned for their success in creating large-scale online games and content.

"Their debut title, Palia, is a fantastic addition to our online portfolio. We eagerly anticipate collaborating with the S6 team to make Palia the best online experience possible across all major gaming platforms and to help continue expand their community of players for years to come."

Singularity 6 was founded in 2018 by ex-Riot Games developers Anthony Leung and Aidan Karabaich, and announced Palia in 2021. The game entered open beta in August 2023 and launched on Steam in March 2024. It's also available on the Epic Games Store and Nintendo Switch.

Despite a positive reception and good player numbersDaybreak said Palia has attracted more than four million players as of the end of June 2024, and that "over 100,000 players have been actively enjoying the game daily"Singularity 6 has struggled. It laid off 49 employees in April 2024, just a couple weeks after Palia arrived on Steam, and then cut 36 more in May, representing about 40 percent of its remaining employees.

Daybreak Game Company, a developer and publisher of MMOs including Everquest 2, DC Universe Online, Planetside 2, Lord of the Rings Online, and Dungeons and Dragons Online, has had some struggles of its own in recent years: In 2022 an in-development Marvel MMO was cancelled, and in February 2024 it laid off "less than 15" employees as part of a "recalibration of our business."

"From Day 1, we have always wanted to forge alternate worlds that help deepen players liveswe believe we are on the path to that with Palia and are ever grateful for the initial player reception and support," Leung said. "But we ultimately want to get Palia into the hands of every gamer that wants to play it and we believe that we can best do so by partnering up with Daybreak, who have a proven track record of building gaming communities that last for decades. We look forward to benefiting from their experience, expertise, and investment into Singularity 6 and Palia."

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Palia developer Singularity 6 is now part of the Daybreak Game Company - PC Gamer

Daybreak Game Company announced the acquisition of Singularity 6, the developer of the cozy MMO Palia. Singularity 6 will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Daybreak, a renowned publisher of large-scale online games.

Daybreak CEO Ji Ham expressed excitement about the acquisition, noting that Singularity 6s expertise in creating online games complements Daybreaks portfolio. He emphasized the potential of Palia, which has attracted over four million players, with more than 100k active daily users.

Singularity 6, founded by former Riot Games developers Anthony Leung and Aidan Karabaich, launched Palia in open beta in August 2023. The game is available on multiple platforms, including Steam, the Epic Games Store, and Nintendo Switch.

Despite its success, Singularity 6 faced challenges, laying off 49 employees in April 2024 and another 36 in May. These layoffs, representing about 40% of the workforce, occurred shortly after Palias launch on Steam.

Daybreak, known for titles like EverQuest and DC Universe Online, aims to support Palias growth. Leung highlighted the benefits of partnering with Daybreak, citing their experience in building long-lasting gaming communities.

This acquisition marks a significant step for both companies. Daybreak gains a promising title in Palia, while Singularity 6 receives the support needed to enhance and expand its game. Fans can expect continued updates and new content as the collaboration progresses.

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Daybreak Acquires Palia Developer Singularity 6 - The Outerhaven

Photo Credit: Energy Singularity

A Chinese company with big goals has joined the push for commercial fusion power, which would revolutionize the transition to carbon-free energy production.

Energy Singularity has built in Shanghai what is "the world's first high-temperature superconducting tokamak device," Interesting Engineering reported. The contraptions are known as "artificial suns" because they replicate the nuclear fusion of hydrogen atoms that occurs on the sun.

A tokamak is a doughnut-shaped, or toroidal, apparatus that controls such reactions in superheated plasma via magnets. The reaction creates helium and releases energy without the risk or production of radioactive waste that comes from nuclear fission.

This tokamak, called Honghuang 70, was designed and installed in less than two years, the Global Times reported. Energy Singularity, which is only three years old, also has plans to develop a second-generation tokamak by 2027 and a technology demonstrator by 2030, as IE reported.

These steps would all but eliminate the need to use dirty energy, which is sourced from coal, gas, and oil and releases gases into the atmosphere that damage our health and heat the planet. This causes more frequent and severe weather events such as droughts, floods, and wildfires.

The main problem with clean-energy nuclear fusion is that it takes massive amounts of energy to produce a reaction. This input-output ratio is measured by Q value, and the highest figure to date is 1.53. Energy Singularity hopes to produce a Q value of 10, per IE.

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One of the features of the HH70 is that it's much smaller than most tokamaks. It's also cheaper, according to IE, because its magnetic system is composed of rare earth barium copper oxide, a high-temperature superconductor that is commercially available.

"Additionally, the company claims that the material allows it to make its tokamaks at only two percent of the volume of conventional tokamaks," Interesting Engineering reported. "Reducing the size and price of tokamaks is ideal for making the technology commercial, with the only hurdle being the net output from the reaction."

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Chinese company achieves breakthrough in race to fusion here's why it's a major step toward unlimited affordable power - The Cool Down

The TDR Four Key Takeaways regarding Ray Kurzweil Predicts the AI Future by 2045

Renowned futurist Ray Kurzweil has once again stirred the technological waters with his latest book, The Singularity Is Nearer. Building on the foundation he laid in his 2005 publication The Singularity Is Near, Kurzweil explores the current progress and future implications of artificial intelligence (AI), boldly predicting the arrival of the singularity by 2045. This anticipated period, where AI surpasses human intelligence, carries profound potential to transform society, presenting both unprecedented opportunities and significant challenges.

Kurzweils optimism about technological advancements is palpable throughout his new book. He reiterates his belief that information technologies like computing get exponentially cheaper because each advance makes it easier to design the next stage of their own evolution. This exponential growth, according to Kurzweil, is already evident as one dollar now buys around 600 trillion times as much computing power as it did when the GPS was developed. Such rapid advancements in computing power set the stage for revolutionary changes in various fields, from medicine to manufacturing.

A central thesis of Kurzweils work is that history is nothing but the evolution of information processing. He categorizes this evolution into six epochs, or stages, from the beginning of our universe. Kurzweil envisions that in the sixth and final stage, our intelligence spreads throughout the universe, turning ordinary matter into computronium, which is matter organized at the ultimate density of computation. While this concept may seem abstract, it underscores his belief in the boundless potential of merging human intelligence with AI.

As we approach the fifth epoch, Kurzweil predicts that we will merge with AI and augment ourselves with millions of times the computational power that our biology gave us. This merging, he suggests, will lead to dramatic improvements in quality of life, with technologies such as 3D printers providing sufficient clothing and housing for everyone, and AI pioneering new medical treatments. As AI unlocks unprecedented material abundance across countless areas, Kurzweil writes, the struggle for physical survival will fade into history.

However, Kurzweil is not blind to the challenges that lie ahead. He acknowledges that the transition to a post-singularity world will involve significant upheaval. Once our brains are backed up on a more advanced digital substrate, our self-modification powers can be fully realized, he states, suggesting that such profound changes in human capability will require careful management. Kurzweil argues that AI should be viewed not as a competitor but as an extension of ourselves.

Despite his optimism, Ray Kurzweil recognizes the potential for disruptions. He speculates that as nanotechnology takes off, we will be able to produce an optimized body at will: well be able to run much faster and longer, swim and breathe under the ocean like fish, and even give ourselves working wings if we want them. Yet, he admits that smart government policies are necessary to ease the transition and ensure that prosperity is broadly shared.

Kurzweils predictions are not without their critics. Many question whether his visions are overly utopian, particularly regarding the equitable distribution of technological benefits. While he claims, history gives us reason for profound optimism, skeptics point to the current inequalities in access to food, healthcare, and other resources.

In contemplating the future, Kurzweil touches on the intersection of technology and the arts. He believes that virtual reality will allow for deeper artistic expression, suggesting that actors can now convey what their character is thinking only through their words and external physical expressions, but in virtual reality, we will have art that puts a characters raw, disorganized, nonverbal thoughts in all their inexpressible beauty and complexity directly into our brains.

Kurzweils vision extends to everyday experiences, predicting that in the digital universe, simulated versions of products will suffice, such as a sensory-rich virtual beach vacation for the whole family. He concludes that computers will be able to simulate human brains in all the ways we might care about, although many might argue that digital simulations can never fully replicate the richness of physical experiences.

Kurzweils insights highlight the need for a balanced approach to AI development, urging us to harness technology responsibly for the greater good of humanity. The journey to 2045 will be complex but promises a transformative era in human history with thoughtful management.

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Ray Kurzweil Predicts the AI Future by 2045 - The Dales Report

Following the recent groundbreaking announcement by the South African Department of Basic Education that coding and robotics will be incorporated as school subjects for grades R 9 from next year, Singularity South Africa is weighing in on the conversation regarding the accelerating evolution of education on the continent, with new speakers added to address this topic specifically at it upcoming summit. Both adult and youth education will have a dedicated focus at the summit that will take place on Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 October 2024 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, in collaboration with Old Mutual. Over 1,500 delegates are expected to attend.

Taddy Blecher, founder and CEO of the Maharishi Invincibility Institute, the remarkable non-profit private education provider servicing under-privileged youth which has trained over 21,000 graduates trained in scarce skills already, with a 90% employment placement rate, will speak on the future of education, and the role that education plays in economic growth.

Taddy Blatcher

Rajesh Pasungili

Renowned trailblazer in robotics, the CEO of Resolute Education, that helps prepare schools for the education needs of the future through robotics curriculums, Rajesh Pasungili will run a robotics workshop for summit delegates, showcasing the latest approaches in this swiftly evolving field.

The founder of Beenova AI, best-selling author and advisors to global education institutions, Jos Dirkx will address the growing convergence of education and AI, with a focus on how education will evolve through the help of AI tutors, adaptive learning and automated feedback.

Jos Dirkx

Vivian Lan

Vivian Lan, who co-founded Uma School, a Montessori institution of conscious based education, pioneering a new paradigm, will also take to the stage. Her talk will echo the philosophy that, education should serve as a life tool, empowering individuals to discover their purpose, nurture a desire to be their best selves, achieve self-realisation, and consequently, expand their capacity while uncovering inner happiness and vital force.

These insightful speakers add to already announced heavyweights including Professor of machine learning and robotics Benjamin Rosman and data wizard Dr Mark Nasila who harnesses AI to enhance banking security and customer insights, who will address the African Artificial (AI) renaissance.

Now approaching its sixth year, and known for delivering an unrivalled corporate education experience, the 2024 Singularity Summit, will be the first on the continent to host a dedicated metaverse track enabling participants who would like to join remotely to enjoy a completely immersive experience, via theAfricararemetaverse. To ensure that learners across Africa have the opportunity to benefit from this summit and the learnings shared by the stellar lineup of speakers, Singularity will be making a selection of bursary tickets available for learners to attend the Metaverse summit at no cost. Learners must go to the website (tickets section) to apply.

At a time where our approach to education has the potential to ignite the continents future trajectory, we embrace the opportunity to bring the worlds greatest thought leaders in this area to our stage, so that delegates attending the Singularity Summit can benefit from their unique insights, said Mic Mann, co-CEO of SingularityU South Africa.

Pictured: Mic Mann

Part of our commitment to help empower Africa's business leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to shape an abundant future is helping them navigate the future of education, both for adults and children, and we are delighted to have secured such outstanding speakers, added Shayne Mann, co-CEO of SingularityU South Africa.

The plans regarding ancillary events, networking opportunities, and the final programme for the SingularityU South Africa Summit will be announced in the coming months. To join the SingularityU community of changemakers, or to learn more, visithttps://singularityusouthafricasummit.org/.

R 16,500 in-person, R4,000 metaverse per person book before midnight on 15 August and save 22%. (Next tier applies thereafter, standard tickets R18,500 per person).

All prices include VAT.

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Education in the spotlight at Singularity South Africa Summit 2024 - Bizcommunity.com