Latest news with #Natasha
Mint
an hour ago
- Business
- Mint
We are all stuck in a pyramid scheme fuelled by AI FOMO
Gift this article Here is what I recently read about a company called and perhaps you did too? Here was a $1.5 billion company that had promised to make app designing as simple as 'ordering a pizza" using an AI environment called Natasha. Apparently, the company began to fall apart in 2025 because of a revelation that Natasha was not AI at all and was actually 700 Indian engineers madly typing away. This made me laugh only because it dug up a memory of a video or a cartoon in which we go to the ATM, press buttons expecting high-tech delivery of cash but meanwhile there is someone behind the wall in a safari suit whose manly arm comes out of the slot. You know, low-tech silliness. Not that bad decisions leading to the loss of employment and well-being of innocent parties is otherwise funny in any way. Here is what I recently read about a company called and perhaps you did too? Here was a $1.5 billion company that had promised to make app designing as simple as 'ordering a pizza" using an AI environment called Natasha. Apparently, the company began to fall apart in 2025 because of a revelation that Natasha was not AI at all and was actually 700 Indian engineers madly typing away. This made me laugh only because it dug up a memory of a video or a cartoon in which we go to the ATM, press buttons expecting high-tech delivery of cash but meanwhile there is someone behind the wall in a safari suit whose manly arm comes out of the slot. You know, low-tech silliness. Not that bad decisions leading to the loss of employment and well-being of innocent parties is otherwise funny in any way. Also read: Banu Mushtaq's recipe for Gobi Manchurian Life can be full of hard-to-believe-is-this-true comedy but apparently in the case of I hear that this story wasn't quite it. The truth about collapse was reportedly more about investors finding out about sketchy accounting. was allegedly not making as much money as it was telling its investors it was. You can see why someone wanted the other story to be true. The idea of Natasha on the outside being Nitesh on the inside with a BE and not just one Nitesh with a BE but many Niteshes with many BEs, is irresistible. Financial investment is also about wanting stories to be true. It might sound rational but often it is about finding some stories irresistible. When I was a girl living in a Malayali world, the news from my parents' hometowns in Kerala came in steady waves that made patterns easily discernible. One year, everyone was enthusiastically planting manjiyam to get rich, manjiyam being a kind of acacia tree. Another year we heard, everyone was into teak. I don't remember what was special about these goats but one year was Peak Goat. Emus came along much later but they did. The special feature about these get-rich-quick schemes is that it feels very democratic. It is the opposite of your uncle from the Gulf going into the forest in Wayanad with his two brand-new friends who know exactly where to find a secret cobra with a jewel on its forehead. A goat in hand is better than a snake in Kalpetta. No one got rich with manjiyam. All of last year, watchdogs of financial markets, institutional investors and other folks who are in the long game have been warning the world of 'AI washing". This can be confused with AI washing machines which promise to dissolve detergent in water before the wash cycle starts but let's not get distracted. AI washing is not so terribly exciting as technology sold as AI to excite investors who are looking for a new high. A good 69% of Indian CEOs are hopping with their legs crossed, investing in AI even though they don't quite know what it can do One of the most honest stories I have read in this context was in an Outlook Business report about IBM's 2025 CEO study. The study reportedly showed that FOMO was pushing investment in AI and that Indian CEOs were stressed because the revenue was not rolling in yet. In case that was one acronym too many, FOMO is the fear of missing out and the reason why small children hop about with their legs crossed rather than go to the bathroom. A good 69% of Indian CEOs are hopping with their legs crossed, the report says, investing in AI even though they don't quite know what it can do because they are afraid of missing out. I recently wrote a set of at-home exams and my 16-year-old nephew asked me what is stopping me from using ChatGPT. On WhatsApp I am hindered from climbing on to my soapbox and becoming a bore about how thrilling it is to be able to study in my old age. So instead I just said that in these exams, it was not about getting correct answers from texts, it is about being able to say something new. Of course, folks working in education are constantly having to warn students that generative AI can get things wrong too. And that it skips the steps of knowledge creation where humans first get things wrong, then right, then they get wonderfully inventive. Also read: When we mock the working class, the joke is on us Casey Fiesler, an information science professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, has an excellent explanation for why ChatGPT is not a search engine. Large Language Models, she says, is not searching for data, it only has a 'statistical echo" of data. ChatGPT gets things wrong, Fiesler says, because it is 'statistically probable, linguistically fluent not verifiably accurate." I heard this explanation and felt a deep sense of déjà vu—an echo of tech bro desire that doesn't mind being wrong as long as it happens fast and sounds smooth. The being wrong part is a problem, of course. It is the fast part that I think is a bigger problem. Why is everyone dying to be so fast? Why have big companies transferred their FOMO to not letting their employees go to the bathroom? Why do CEOs not want their employees to stay at home and look at their husbands or wives? People who already have a crazy amount of money feel like it isn't enough. And like the people who worked for the pharaohs, we are stuck in their pyramid scheme. With the disclaimer that I find a hand sticking out of the ATM slot funny, I want to say, my friends, AI is beginning to feel a wee bit manjiyam. Nisha Susan is the author of The Women Who Forgot to Invent Facebook and Other Stories. ChatGPT gets things wrong because it is statistically probable, linguistically fluent not verifiably accurate. 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Time of India
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
5 beginner mistakes to avoid in Honkai Star Rail
(Image via miHoYo) HoYoverse's Honkai: Star Rail's immersive deep progression systems and turn-based combat make it an exciting experience. While it's thrilling, the intricate systems can trip up the newcomers, slowing their progress. Avoiding these early missteps is the key to a smooth journey and understanding core mechanics, which helps prevent frustration and any wasted effort. Here are the 5 common Honkai Star Rail mistakes to avoid which every new trailblazer must steer clear of for a smoother journey across the stars. Ignoring pre-farming materials Waiting too long for Honkai Star Rail farming materials could stall your progress. Honkai: Star Rail demands consistent upgrades to tackle mid-game challenges. Spend your Trailblaze Power on Trace materials, Character EXP, and the Light Cone upgrades early on. You will be able to start farming five-star Relics by Trailblaze Level 40. Do not fall behind, trying to hoard resources, or you will continue hitting walls within Forgotten Hall and Simulated Universe. Honkai Star Rail Beginner's Guide - 15 BEST Tips to Progress Smoothly! HSR Beginner Guide, HSR Guide As a smart player, always anticipate your needs. As soon as your desired character gets announced, ensure that they farm their boss drops proactively and trace components and Kaix Taff. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Livguard Lithium-X: The Future of Power Backup Livguard Buy Now Undo Such preparation would guarantee your new powerhouse to remain battle-ready, with maximized impact right from the moment they join the crew. Spreading resources without strategy A quick way to stall progress is pouring all the valuable materials into too many characters at once. While the temptation for leveling up all-new units remains strong, scattering limited resources will leave you with the underpowered core team. So, always ensure Honkai Star Rail team composition to be strategized. Keep your focus on building two to three synergistic teams that are capable of handling diverse challenges. Concentrating upgrades on the key damage supports, dealers, and sustain units would ensure you have needed resilience and firepower for demanding endgame models like the Memory of Chaos from the start. Overlooking stellar starting crew Resist your urge to bench all the initially free characters for some shiny gacha pulls. The starter roster of Honkai: Star Rail—Dan Heng, Trailblazer, Natasha, and March 7th are surprisingly robust. Honkai Star Rail character upgrades remain tailored for early successes and offer essential roles like healing, solid damage, and shielding. The early enemies quite often share weaknesses that are aligned with elements of characters, making them effective. Natasha and March 7th particularly offer crucial cleansing and are able to sustain. It remains viable in the mid-game content, too. Investing in them will ensure you have a reliable core team while you gradually continue building others. They are far more than the placeholders. Not targeting enemies with Honkai Star Rail combat strategies Turn-based combat is not just about spamming attacks. Positioning matters, too. There are some skills, like the AoE strike of Trailblazer, that deal extra toughness damage to the primary target. To hit the enemy in the middle could break multiple foes all at once, while to attack a flanked target would just hit an extra. Trailblazer's Skill can deal equal damage to all the hit enemies, but the primary target will be suffering a greater depletion of Toughness. In the same way, Ultimate of Arlan would inflict the greatest damage on some specifically targeted enemies. So, always ensure to check the attack ranges and give priority to enemies, which can maximize the efficiency of the team. Neglecting the Light Cone power, use, and compatibility Complete Beginners Guide to Honkai: Star Rail - HSR Guide for Genshin Players Light Cones are quite powerful but do not be dazzled just by their raw stats or rarity. To equip high-rarity Light Cones can seem like a no-brainer, but the passives only get activated if the character matches the Path of the Cone. Destruction characters using the Hunt Light Cone can lose out on some crucial bonuses. Note: The 5-star Light Cone might look like an instant upgrade. If the passives, though, do not align with the role of the wielder, it's wasted. Always ensure to check Path alignment before you assign gear. Herta's Store free five-star Cones are powerful, but only when they are used correctly. In short, you must always ensure to match the Path Symbol on the Light Cone to the Path of the characters for Full power. Only then will you get maximum efficiency. Avoiding the above-said simple mistakes early on would ensure you have a smooth journey through the cosmos. Just keep your focus on Honkai Star Rail resource management, balanced teams, and smarter pulls, and you will maximize progress with ease. Endgame in Honkai: Star Rail demands strategy and not just your style to dominate the toughest battles. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Scottish Sun
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Scottish Premiership footballer bags a Bond girl as he holidays with Sir Sean Connery's granddaughter
The pair have been snapped together on exotic holidays and looking after pets STRONG BOND Scottish Premiership footballer bags a Bond girl as he holidays with Sir Sean Connery's granddaughter Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ABERDEEN star Dante Polvara has a Scottish Cup winners' medal in his possession. And he's also got a Bond girl on his arm - after embarking on a relationship with Sir Sean Connery's granddaughter Natasha. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Sean Connery's glamorous granddaughter Natasha has found love with American footballer Dante Polvara, who plays for Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen Credit: natashagigiconnery/Instagram 4 The pair have posed together on Natasha's Instagram account Credit: natashagigiconnery/Instagram 4 They were snapped celebrating the midfielder's 25th birthday together Credit: natashagigiconnery/Instagram 4 Natasha was at Hampden as Polvara and Aberdeen shocked Celtic to win the Scottish Cup Credit: natashagigiconnery/Instagram Natasha was in attendance at Hampden as Polvara and his Aberdeen teammates pulled off a shock Scottish Cup victory over Celtic. The midfielder came off the bench in normal time and scored a penalty in the shootout as Dons won 4-3. He signed for the Pittodrie side straight out of New York City FC's youth sides in 2022. The 25-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2023/24 after returning from a loan to Charleston Battery in the US, making 40 appearances and scoring five times. He got together with Natasha Connery last summer, who is the daughter of the stepson of a famous Scots actor. Natasha's grandfather Sir Sean Connery was of course best-known for being the first actor to portray super-spy James Bond. He played 007 in seven films over the course of 21 years, including fan-favourites Goldfinger and Diamonds Are Forever. He also won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in The Untouchables and was knighted in 2000 for services to film drama. Former Rangers chairman Sir David Murray has also revealed that Connery secretly invested £1million into Gers. Connery, who died in 2020, was a supporter of the club and close friend of Murray's. Sir Sean Connery's secret £1 MILLION investment in Rangers revealed Murray wrote in his book Mettle: "For years, Sean and I would share a catch-up call every weekend to chat through the football and we would inevitably kick off with Rangers. "After all, he had put £1million into the club which no one knew about at the time or even since. "I was raising £50million in 2004 and Sean asked if he could invest. "I told him that it was football, that there were no guarantees and he should get professional advice but he was adamant - he wanted in." Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
This stylish Indian businesswoman is also attending Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding
Natasha Poonawalla, the only Indian guest at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's lavish Venice wedding, made a bold fashion statement. She wore a fiery red mini dress from AZ Factory's Spring 2022 collection, adorned with 3D heart motifs. Her confidence and sleek accessories, including a heart-shaped diamond necklace, completed the look. Move over, minimalists, Natasha Poonawalla just showed up at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's star-studded Venice wedding, and she may have been the most daring look of the weekend. As the only known Indian guest at the three-day extravaganza (kicking off June 27, 2025), the philanthropist-cum-socialite didn't just attend, she arrived. Picture this: Natasha sashayed into the celebrations in a fiery red mini dress straight from AZ Factory's Spring 2022 collection. Think strapless cut, sculpted tailoring, dramatic puffed shoulders—it was as if the dress itself was shouting, 'Here for love, and bold fashion!' The pièce de résistance? A torrent of 3D heart motifs blooming across the silhouette—an unapologetic nod to the newlyweds. There were vertical ruffles, pin-straight frills, and tassels swaying with every step, enough drama to rival the Venetian canals at night. And sure, the dress was loud, complex, and eye-catching, but Natasha's confidence? That was the real showstopper, making the whole look feel seamless rather than gimmicky. Accessories? She kept it heartfelt and sleek. A heart-shaped diamond necklace added just the right touch of sparkle without competing with the dress. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cuối cùng, chơi miễn phí game chiến thuật hay nhất 2025! Sea of Conquest Phát ngay Undo Earrings and bracelets? Nada. Sometimes less is more, especially when your outfit is already doing all the heavy lifting. Her glow was equally perfect. A bronzed, dewy face with a subtle shimmer, peach-nude matte lips, and soft contouring made her look like a sun-kissed godmother of glam. A bold winged eyeliner and mascara-fanned lashes added cheeky drama and framed her eyes beautifully. And let's talk hair: her sleek, mid-part ponytail looked effortlessly polished yet playful, wrapped with a satin red ribbon that tied back the whole look. It was the cherry on top or maybe the heart on top, given the theme. At a wedding literally about love, hearts, and a new chapter for Bezos and Sánchez, Natasha's ensemble screamed romance in the most modern, fearless way possible. When you're at a wedding that's already magazine-cover-level glamorous, she didn't just blend in, she stole the spotlight. Whether you're heading to a glam wedding or want to dial up your love-themed look, take a page from Natasha's playbook: go bold, commit to the theme, and let confidence be your best accessory.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
'I feel betrayed by DWP cuts to PIP - thinking about them gets my heart racing'
Law student Natasha Muzembe, 29, who lives in west London, said she doesn't know how she will 'survive' if her £739 monthly Personal Independence Payments are cut A law student with bipolar has said she feels 'betrayed' by Labour after it announced cuts to disability benefits. Natasha Muzembe, 29, who lives in west London, said she doesn't know how she will 'survive' if her £739 monthly Personal Independence Payment s are cut. 'It'll put me in poverty. I'm scared. Thinking about it gets my heart racing. It's going to be a really tough time if they do that,' she said. Natasha said she uses her PIP to pay for taxi services, when she can't take the bus due to psychosis making her feel as though everyone is looking at her, as well as for cleaning services and medication delivery. She said she was 'very, very, very surprised' when Labour announced its welfare reforms and said it was 'disgusting' for ministers to 'target the most vulnerable people in society'. 'I felt betrayal and anger because this is a party that promised to be 'for people,'' she added. If you're 'for people', how can you go against them in the most harmful and attacking way? 'People voted for them because they were frustrated with the way the country was going. People were in poverty. Children weren't getting meals. You get nurses going to food banks, and people voted for them in the hopes that they were going to transform the country." Natasha said it was "reassuring" there was such a big rebellion within Labour against the welfare cuts. In a message to Keir Starmer, she added: 'Don't go back on the people that voted for you in the first place, who need help, that voted for you on the grounds that you were going to support and make them better. 'A healthy mind nurtures a healthy nation. Let's get people feeling better before they're forced to get into work and jobs they cannot sustain.'
