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Ikea is taking an innovative approach to attracting a new generation of workers by creating a virtual store in the popular video game Roblox. This week, the Swedish furniture giant is launching a campaign called 'Careers Done Different.' In its initial phase, Roblox players are invited to virtually apply for paid positions at Ikea's in-game store. The goal is to introduce young people to career opportunities at Ikea in a fun and engaging way. Roblox is an online video game where players can create and share their own games. It has become increasingly popular among brands looking to attract younger audiences through advertising and in-game experiences. Ikea's virtual store, named ‘The Co-Worker,’ is part of this trend. While Roblox is known for its popularity among younger gamers—Statista reports that 42% of its players were under 12 in 2023—it also has a significant young adult following. According to Statista, 42% of Roblox users are aged 17 to 24 and 25+, providing a substantial audience for this campaign. The campaign will be integrated across social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn, as well as through in-store activities featuring 'pixellated furniture' to encourage applications for the in-game roles. Kemi Anthony, Ikea UK's marketing communications manager, explains: “To bring career progression at Ikea to life, it made sense to demonstrate the co-worker journey in a less traditional way, by ‘recruiting’ people to try it out for themselves at Ikea on Roblox.” “Once Ikea on Roblox opens, they (and we) will be able to appreciate the employee experience in ways that we’ve never been able to do with traditional recruitment marketing.” The virtual store is set to open on June 24. This "immersive" experience will allow players to switch between departments while their avatars gain experience, mirroring Ikea's flexible career progression.

Cristiano Ronaldo is diving deep into the Web3 ecosystem with a new NFT drop in collaboration with Binance. Titled "Forever Worldwide: The Road to Saudi Arabia," this collection showcases Ronaldo's journey from his early playing days to his status as a football legend. The NFT series captures significant moments from seven key locations in Ronaldo's career, featuring artwork from Madeira, Lisbon, Manchester, Madrid, Turin, Saudi Arabia, and Portugal. Each piece aims to encapsulate the essence of Ronaldo’s journey across these cities. This collaboration also focuses on fan engagement, offering select NFT holders the chance to meet Ronaldo in Riyadh, celebrating their ownership of a unique piece of football history. “My football journey has taken me all across the globe, and now it’s time for you to join me too. I’m incredibly proud of what my latest collection offers, and I’m looking forward to reliving the memories together with you all,” says Ronaldo. The launch coincides with the 2024/2025 football season. On May 29, 2024, at 08:00 UTC, 2800 NFTs from Madeira, 2300 from Lisbon, and 1700 from Manchester will be released, highlighting Ronaldo’s early career. On June 6, 2024, at 14:00 UTC, 1200 NFTs from Madrid, 800 from Turin, and 700 from Saudi Arabia will be launched, showcasing his recent career chapters. Finally, on June 14, 2024, at 14:00 UTC, 7 Super Super Rare NFTs from Portugal will be released, honoring his dedication to the national team. All normal NFTs are priced at 35 USDT ($35 USD), except for the Portugal NFTs. The normal NFTs include an exclusive interview with Cristiano Ronaldo and a signed, digitally printable art poster. The rare NFTs include a vintage football jersey along with the perks of the normal NFTs. The super rare NFTs offer two football tickets from one of the locations featured in the collection in addition to the normal NFT perks. The Super Super Rare (Portugal NFT) provides an in-person experience, including a match ticket to watch Cristiano’s team play, flights, accommodation, a separate, on-set meeting with Cristiano where he’ll perform and record a personalized goal celebration just for the holder, a vintage football jersey, an exclusive interview, and a signed, digitally printable art poster. Eligible users can participate in an auction to purchase a Super Super Rare Portugal NFT, with four NFTs available. The auction opens on June 14 at 14:00 (UTC) and ends on June 18 at 23:59:59 (UTC). The four highest bidders will each receive a Portugal NFT, which includes the Super Super Rare utility described above. This collection celebrates Ronaldo’s football achievements and involves the community by incorporating local artistic talents, enhancing the connection between the star’s global fan base and his storied career.

Before the advent of AI (artificial intelligence) tools, generating images was a task reserved for skilled designers. However, with tools like Midjourney, Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bing), and Google Gemini, anyone can now create the images they desire. Recent reports suggest that creating images will become even more accessible as WhatsApp is reportedly developing a new feature for this purpose. According to WA Beta Info, WhatsApp is testing a new feature that allows users to generate AI-powered images quickly. This feature involves a new shortcut within the chat attachment sheet, designed to streamline the image generation process. A screenshot shared by WA Beta Info indicates that this feature might utilize Meta AI, a sophisticated assistant capable of complex reasoning, executing instructions, visualizing concepts, and solving intricate problems. Currently, users can generate images directly within the Meta AI chat or by using commands in group chats. The forthcoming update aims to simplify this by incorporating a shortcut in the chat attachment sheet. This means users won't need to switch to their Meta AI chat to create images; they can simply tap a button within any chat. However, it's important to note that Meta AI is presently available only in certain countries and to select users. Therefore, the new shortcut will initially be accessible only to those with existing Meta AI access, with plans for broader availability in future updates. The introduction of this shortcut could offer significant benefits. By enabling quick generation of AI-powered images through a prompt, it saves time and effort, especially for users who frequently incorporate images in their conversations. This feature is still under development and is expected to be rolled out in the future. Although WA Beta Info is a reliable source, it's important to remember that WhatsApp has not officially announced this feature yet. Additionally, there were earlier reports that WhatsApp was working on a feature to let users generate profile photos using AI. This initiative, part of the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.11.17 update, aimed to offer users a more personalized way to express themselves, particularly for those who find it challenging to choose a suitable profile picture.

Pixelmon, an Ethereum-based NFT game inspired by Pokémon, is set to airdrop a significant amount of $MON tokens, sparking a surge in NFT purchases. According to a recent announcement, over 180,000 eligible wallets will receive tokens via the Mon Protocol. Eligible participants include holders of specific Pixelmon NFTs, 'Kevin the Adventurer' players, participants in the PixelPals' 'Farm2Farm' contest, and $MON presale contributors. This announcement has propelled Pixelmon’s in-game NFTs to third place on CoinGecko, with a remarkable 278.7% increase in trading volume within 24 hours, driven by 4,941 new sales. Daily transactions for Pixelmon NFTs have reached $1,360,910 (349.31 ETH), setting a minimum price of $2,822.67 (0.72 ETH) per NFT and boosting the project’s market cap to $35,469,697 (9,104 ETH). Pixelmon has significantly evolved, overcoming initial criticism of its graphics. Under new ownership, it has undergone a major artistic overhaul and two years of development, establishing itself as a prominent web3 gaming project. The successful launch of Kevin the Adventurer, a game with 36,000 active players, marks a notable milestone. The introduction of PixelPals on the Mantle network, combining pet care and trading card elements, has further expanded the Pixelmon ecosystem. LiquidX’s acquisition of Pixelmon’s intellectual property in 2022 was pivotal, leading to the development of trading cards, merchandise, and multimedia adaptations. As Pixelmon progresses, the upcoming $MON token airdrop underscores its commitment to innovation and community engagement.

The Sandbox, a decentralized gaming platform, has announced the launch of its decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), known as The Sandbox DAO. This initiative will be rolled out in three phases, allowing holders of SAND tokens and virtual LAND NFTs, which represent in-game plots, to participate in governance by voting on projects and proposing improvements through Sandbox Improvement Proposals (SIPs). Phase one begins on May 28, enabling the community to vote on SIPs while The Sandbox staff continues to manage some operations. In a discussion with Cointelegraph, The Sandbox team explained: "The Sandbox DAO enables the community to help shape and drive the platform's growth and ecosystem. From determining how we allocate critical funds to deciding the next Game Jam theme, community members will have a say in the platform's evolution and business priorities." Phase two, termed the “exploration” phase, aims for The Sandbox DAO to become self-reliant, gradually reducing its dependency on the platform’s core team. By phase three, the DAO is expected to be fully operational, allowing for complete community-driven governance. The Sandbox team emphasized the deliberate three-phase rollout to ensure a well-executed launch. This phased approach allows them to test and refine the DAO’s functionality, learning from challenges and making necessary adjustments to set up for sustainable long-term success. In addition to the DAO's launch, a leadership team comprising a council and advisors has been established to guide the DAO. The Council will collaborate with trusted partners to develop the DAO, while advisors will offer guidance and expertise. Notable Council members include Sebastien Borget, co-founder and COO of The Sandbox; Yat Siu, chairman of Animoca Brands; Shannon Snow, COO of World of Women; and Jean-Michel Pailhon, founder of Grail Capital. When asked about maintaining accountability to the community, The Sandbox stated that the Council will review all SIPs, providing feedback and meeting bi-monthly to review and potentially veto proposals based on legality, alignment with the DAO’s vision, or redundancy. Community members who own five SAND or one LAND can vote on three initial SIPs, which are considered foundational for initiating the DAO’s operations.

In a significant move within the tech world, Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta and Elon Musk’s xAI are both keen to partner with Character. ai, a prominent chatbot maker based in Silicon Valley. These tech giants aim to enhance their technology and maintain a competitive edge through collaboration with leading AI startups. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is actively engaging in discussions with Character. ai to improve its AI models and pre-training techniques. Although no deal has been finalized, the potential partnership aims to integrate advanced AI chatbots across Meta’s platforms. Meta envisions bringing AI chatbots into its social media ecosystems, including Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. This could enable users to interact with celebrity personas like Snoop Dogg, making social media interactions more engaging and personalized. By leveraging Character. ai’s technology, Meta aims to refine its AI models, enhancing their sophistication and efficiency. This is crucial for Meta’s ambition to lead in the AI space, offering cheaper and open-source alternatives for developers through their Llama models. Elon Musk’s xAI is also eyeing a partnership with Character. ai. xAI’s chatbot, Grok, available to premium subscribers on X (formerly Twitter), could benefit significantly from this collaboration, leading to more advanced AI interactions and a stronger presence in the chatbot market. Partnering with Character. ai could enhance Grok’s capabilities, making it a more powerful tool for users and boosting xAI’s competitive stance. The interest from both Meta and xAI in Character. ai underscores the fierce competition among tech giants to secure top AI partnerships. Whether both companies can partner with Character. ai or if they are competing for an exclusive deal remains to be seen. Strategic partnerships are often preferred over full acquisitions due to regulatory concerns. For instance, Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI is under scrutiny by UK and US authorities, highlighting the challenges of high-profile collaborations. The tech world is closely watching these potential partnerships, especially considering the regulatory landscape. Both Meta and xAI need to navigate these waters carefully to avoid legal complications while advancing their AI ambitions. A collaboration between Character. ai and these tech giants could revolutionize AI integration into social media and other platforms. Users can expect more interactive and engaging experiences driven by sophisticated AI technologies. The competition between Meta and xAI over Character. ai highlights the intense desire to lead in the AI space and shape the future of technology. As Meta and xAI vie for Character. ai’s partnership, the outcome is uncertain. This race not only reflects their ambitions but also sets the stage for the next big leap in AI technology.

A lawsuit has been filed against Dolce & Gabbana USA by a disgruntled customer who alleges a substantial loss in the value of NFTs purchased due to delivery mishaps. According to Bloomberg, the renowned Italian fashion house distributed NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain, offering a range of digital, physical, and experiential benefits. These NFTs, branded as DGFamily, were marketed with promises of unlocking exclusive rewards, products, and events. The lawsuit contends that Dolce & Gabbana failed to deliver the NFTs and associated benefits in a timely manner, with the digital assets arriving 20 days behind schedule. Moreover, the complaint highlights that the NFTs were only functional within a metaverse platform with minimal user engagement, and the fashion house had not obtained prior approval from the platform. Citing a pattern of unfulfilled promises and disengagement from projects and communities, the plaintiff, Luke Brown, claims a personal loss of $5,800 on the purchased NFTs. Brown seeks to represent other buyers affected by this NFT project and has included the NFT marketplace UNXD as a defendant in the legal action. Despite the NFT market's overall growth in 2024, with a projected 41% increase in marketplace value compared to the previous year, there are indications of a slowdown in the once-explosive growth trajectory. While some high-profile sales, such as CryptoPunk 3100, have commanded significant sums, many NFTs are experiencing a decline in value, reflecting a shift in market dynamics.

To boost voter awareness, India's first metaverse-powered virtual model polling booth and various engaging activities were held at MBD Neopolis Mall on Ferozepur Road on Saturday evening. The event saw participation from prominent election officials, including General Observer Divya Mittal (IAS), Expenditure Observers Chetan D Kalamkar (IRS) and Pankaj Kumar (IRS), and District Election Officer (DEO) Sakshi Sawhney, who encouraged residents to exercise their 'Right to Vote.' Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) Ludhiana Central, Ojasvi Alankar, stated that the 'Ludhiana 70 Paar' awareness event was organized by the district administration in collaboration with the mall management under the SVEEP program. The goal is to achieve a voter turnout of over 70 percent in the upcoming general elections. The highlight of the event was India's first metaverse-powered virtual model polling booth, which provided participants with a virtual mock polling experience. Election observers and other officials also experienced this innovative polling booth. An election song was launched during the event, and students from BCM Arya Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar, performed a vibrant Bhangra dance. These students were honored with appreciation certificates. The event also featured a live band performance by Rock Fluid. Officials emphasized the utility of the website voteforludhiana .in which allows voters to track crowd levels at polling centers on election day, enabling them to vote at their convenience. The website, designed by the district administration and experts from Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College (GNDEC), Dr. Akshay Girdhar and Dr. Jagdeep, updates information every half hour. General Observer Divya Mittal, along with Expenditure Observers Chetan D Kalamkar and Pankaj Kumar, and DEO Sakshi Sawhney, urged residents to turn out in large numbers to vote on June 1. They reiterated the administration's commitment to ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections, with comprehensive arrangements in place at polling booths. The event also saw the presence of ADC Anmol Singh Dhaliwal, ADC Rupinder Pal Singh, and Assistant Commissioner (UT) Kritika Goyal, among other officials.

Meta has introduced the latest version of its large language model (LLM), Llama 3, which powers generative AI chatbots. This new model is designed to be smarter and faster, with enhanced reasoning capabilities. The Llama 3 model will be integrated into Meta AI, Meta's virtual assistant, which the company now claims to be the "most intelligent AI assistant you can use for free" due to Llama 3's advanced capabilities. Meta is positioning itself to challenge OpenAI's ChatGPT, a leading generative AI tool, by making Meta AI more prominent and accessible across its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. A standalone website for Meta AI is also being launched, marking it as a direct competitor to ChatGPT for the first time. Meta is rolling out an enhanced image generation tool, initially being tested within WhatsApp. Additionally, Meta AI's availability is expanding to several countries outside the US, though it remains unavailable in the UK and Europe. “With our most powerful large language model under the hood, Meta AI is better than ever. We’re excited to share our next-generation assistant with even more people and can’t wait to see how it enhances people’s lives,” Meta stated in a blog post. Meta also announced that Meta AI would be integrated into its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and the Quest virtual reality platform. The company plans to release more Llama 3 models soon, making the AI multi-lingual and multi-modal, capable of processing and responding in text, images, video, and audio. In a Facebook post, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg said, “We’re releasing the new version of Meta AI, our assistant that you can ask any question across our apps and glasses. Our goal is to build the world’s leading AI. We’re upgrading Meta AI with our new state-of-the-art Llama 3 AI model, which we’re open sourcing. With this new model, we believe Meta AI is now the most intelligent AI assistant that you can freely use. “We’re making Meta AI easier to use by integrating it into the search boxes at the top of WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger. “We also built some unique creation features, like the ability to animate photos. Meta AI now generates high-quality images so fast that it creates and updates them in real-time as you’re typing. It’ll also generate a playback video of your creation process.”

Amazon plans to enhance its Alexa voice assistant with advanced artificial intelligence technology and introduce subscription models to offset costs, according to a report by CNBC. This move aims to keep Alexa competitive with AI-powered assistants from companies like Google and OpenAI. Alexa currently performs tasks based on voice commands, such as setting timers or playing music. However, recent AI advancements, including OpenAI's GPT-4, enable more sophisticated two-way conversations and real-time language translation. In response, Amazon is developing a more conversational version of Alexa to match these technologies. The upgraded Alexa is expected to launch later this year and will not be included in Amazon's Prime membership. Instead, users will need to subscribe separately, though pricing details are still being finalized. This marks a departure from Amazon's previous strategy of offering Alexa as a free service bundled with other products. The decision to charge for a more advanced Alexa follows a period of internal pressure. Under former CEO Jeff Bezos, Alexa received substantial investment and attention. However, since Andy Jassy became CEO in 2021, there has been a greater focus on profitability. Jassy has reportedly been unimpressed with Alexa's current capabilities, considering it too limited compared to newer AI technologies. To meet the challenge posed by competitors like Google and Apple's Siri, Amazon has reorganized its Alexa team and is incorporating more advanced AI capabilities. This includes using Amazon's own large language model, Titan, to power the updated Alexa. Despite these efforts, Amazon faces significant challenges. Developing advanced AI requires considerable resources and talent, which are in high demand across the tech industry. Additionally, there are concerns about the cost of integrating generative AI into Alexa, with estimates suggesting it could significantly increase expenses per user. Overall, Amazon's strategy with Alexa reflects a broader trend in the tech industry toward more advanced AI-powered services. The success of these efforts will depend on whether Amazon can effectively integrate new AI technologies into Alexa and justify the associated costs.

TikTok takes a proactive step in assuring AI authenticity on its platform by automatically labeling AI-generated content using new Content Credentials technology. TikTok, the renowned social media platform celebrated for its short-form video content, recently announced a significant update: the automatic labeling of AI-generated content (AIGC) upon upload. Partnering with the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), TikTok pioneers the implementation of Content Credentials technology, marking a pivotal moment in content verification. Previously, TikTok mandated content creators to label realistic AIGC and content created with its proprietary AI effects. However, this recent development extends auto-labeling to AIGC generated on external platforms. Leveraging Content Credentials technology, TikTok attaches metadata to identify and label AIGC swiftly. This initiative will be progressively introduced, primarily focusing on images and videos initially, with plans to expand to audio content shortly. In parallel, TikTok reinforces its commitment to media literacy by collaborating with MediaWise and Witness to develop educational resources. Through a series of 12 videos, TikTok aims to enhance user awareness of media literacy skills and elucidate how features like AIGC labels offer additional content context. The urgency of these measures becomes apparent in the face of advancing AI capabilities, which have led to the proliferation of AI-generated deepfakes. Recent incidents, such as the discovery of a fraudulent cryptocurrency exchange in Hong Kong utilizing AI-generated content featuring Elon Musk, underscore the need for robust content authentication protocols. Warren Buffett's comparison of AI's impact on illicit financial activities to the advent of nuclear weaponry further underscores the gravity of the situation. In navigating this evolving landscape, TikTok's proactive approach to content labeling and media literacy initiatives serves as a commendable step towards fostering a safer and more informed digital environment.

Experience Wales like never before as it pioneers its presence in the metaverse, inviting virtual visitors from across the globe to explore its rich offerings. Visit Wales, the tourism body, spearheads this immersive venture to showcase Wales's diverse experiences and attractions in the digital realm. Hosting the Welsh metaverse on the Spatial platform, this initiative aims to tap into the vast audience of approximately 600 million annual visitors to the metaverse across various platforms. Organizers proudly assert that Wales is also the first European nation to adopt this innovative approach to promote itself as a tourism destination. This landmark announcement follows a report by a committee of MPs last July, highlighting Wales's need for a cohesive brand to attract international visitors. Presenter of Doctor Who Unleashed and former gaming journalist, Steffan Powell, commended the metaverse experience, affirming its ability to offer potential visitors a tantalizing glimpse into the myriad attractions awaiting them in Wales. Hannah Blythyn, the Welsh government's tourism minister, emphasized the metaverse's role in reaching new audiences by showcasing Wales's finest offerings in an innovative digital format. With quests and interactive itineraries featuring real-life Welsh activities, visitors to the virtual Wales are in for an engaging experience. The creation of this digital realm is a collaborative effort with Swansea-based firm, iCreate, reflecting Wales's prowess in innovation and technology. Dawn Lyle, founder of iCreate, expressed excitement about this initiative, highlighting the boundless potential of the virtual space in reaching new audiences. Accessible on smartphones, tablets, laptops, computers, and Meta Quest headsets, the Wales metaverse is now open to the public, inviting everyone to embark on a virtual journey through the wonders of Wales.