#apple developer enterprise

[buyiosenterpriseaccount]

Common Issues with iOS Enterprise Accounts and How to Resolve

Navigating the digital landscape of iOS enterprise accounts can sometimes be a challenging journey. However, with the right information, you can effectively address and resolve common issues. This blog aims to help you understand these issues and provide feasible solutions.

Recognizing Common iOS Enterprise Account Issues

There are a few common issues that users may encounter with their iOS enterprise account. These range from application distribution problems to issues with certificates and provisioning profiles.

Distribution Issues

A common challenge with iOS enterprise accounts is the distribution of applications outside the App Store. To resolve this, ensure your organisation adheres to the Apple Developer Enterprise Program's guidelines for app distribution.

Certificate Problems

Certificate-related issues are common and can cause app installation failures. Regularly updating your certificates and ensuring that they are correctly installed can prevent such problems.

Provisioning Profile Difficulties

Issues with provisioning profiles can result in apps failing to launch. To resolve this, ensure the app's bundle ID matches the one in the provisioning profile.

Maximising the Potential of Your iOS Enterprise Account

Understanding these issues is only half the battle. Leveraging the tools and resources available in the iOS enterprise account will help you optimise your app development and distribution processes.

Conclusion

While navigating the world of iOS enterprise accounts can be challenging, understanding common issues and their solutions can make the journey smoother. Remember that the key to resolving these issues lies in compliance with Apple’s guidelines, regular updates, and matching IDs. With these strategies in hand, you are well-equipped to maximise the potential of your iOS enterprise account, paving the way for successful app development and distribution!

[jcmarchi]

Vapi Secures $20M Series A to Redefine Enterprise AI Voice Agents

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/vapi-secures-20m-series-a-to-redefine-enterprise-ai-voice-agents/

Vapi Secures $20M Series A to Redefine Enterprise AI Voice Agents

Vapi, founded in 2023 by CEO Jordan Dearsley and CTO Nikhil Gupta, has announced a $20 million Series A funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners, alongside investments from Abstract Ventures, AI Grant, Y Combinator, Saga Ventures, and Michael Ovitz. As generative voice models rapidly approach human-level interaction—often passing a “voice Turing test”—enterprises need a platform that can help them seamlessly integrate these capabilities into their customer interactions, workflows, and services.

Vapi sets out to “bend the arc of technology back to the human voice” by giving developers the tools to deploy AI voice agents in minutes instead of months. This developer-first approach removes complexity, letting engineering teams focus on their core products. Through its flexible APIs and broad platform integrations, Vapi quickly transforms existing CRMs, EHRs, and telephony systems into immersive voice-enabled experiences.

Backed by Global Technology Investors

Bessemer Venture Partners, known for supporting innovative companies across various sectors—including Pinterest, Shopify, Twilio, Yelp, LinkedIn, and DocuSign—recognized Vapi’s unique potential from the start. With more than 145 IPOs and a portfolio of 300+ companies, Bessemer’s extensive track record and resources will help Vapi scale to meet global demand for advanced voice AI.

“We believe AI will fundamentally impact every vertical of the economy, with voice agents becoming a core interface for many applications,” said Byron Deeter, partner at Bessemer. “Vapi is emerging as the leading developer platform for conversational voice agents, redefining how people interact with technology.”

Rapid Growth and Widespread Adoption

In just six months since launching, Vapi scaled to millions in revenue by serving a diverse range of enterprises, from customer support and outbound sales to telehealth and food ordering. Companies like Mindtickle, Luma Health, Ellipsis Health, and Gestionadora de Créditos have harnessed Vapi to handle high call volumes seamlessly, demonstrate human-like responsiveness, and improve the overall caller experience.

This rapid market adoption reflects a growing need for AI voice agents that can scale without losing the warmth and nuance of the human voice. As Apple Intelligence and Google Gemini prepare to bring voice assistants to billions of people, Vapi ensures that developers have the infrastructure to keep up with this voice-first movement.

Developer-First Approach: Building Voice AI in Minutes

A core part of Vapi’s strategy is to empower developers. Instead of months spent piecing together complex systems, developers can now build, test, and deploy robust voice agents with low-latency response times and multilingual support.

Inbound and Outbound Calls: Handle inbound inquiries or set up outbound call campaigns at scale.

Voice Products and IoT: From SaaS support desks to IoT devices, Vapi’s stack plugs into numerous platforms.

Flexible Integration: Mix and match preferred speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and LLM providers.

No-Code and Server URL Quickstarts: Even teams with minimal voice AI experience can launch projects in a matter of minutes.

Driving Innovation Across Industries

Vapi’s adaptability makes it a fit for nearly any vertical:

Healthcare and Telehealth: Appointment scheduling, patient FAQs, and prescription refills managed by voice agents.

Travel and Hospitality: Reservations, bookings, and real-time customer queries handled in a natural, conversational style.

Finance and Insurance: Policy inquiries, claims assistance, and secure account actions executed at scale.

Retail and Food Services: Handling menu inquiries, order taking, and reservation confirmation seamlessly and efficiently.

According to CEO Jordan Dearsley, “Consumer-facing companies run on voice. To scale their revenue, they need to scale their voice operations. But, people don’t scale. With generative voice models, it’s flexible like a human and can scale to millions of calls.”

Technology That Speaks Like a Human

Under the hood, Vapi’s platform is built for performance and scalability:

Sub-500ms Latency: Achieve near-instant responses through optimized GPU inference, caching, and high-performance networking.

Natural Turn-Taking: Built-in interruption handling and endpointing models ensure voice agents listen and respond just like human operators.

Global Infrastructure: A Kubernetes-based architecture and private internet backbone enable high availability and low-latency performance worldwide.

“Vapi is far ahead of any other platform—simple, powerful, and it just works,” said Marcelo Oliveira, SVP of Engineering at Luma Health.

Scaling Infrastructure and Engineering Talent

With the new funding, Vapi will expand its engineering team to further strengthen its real-time infrastructure and onboard new enterprise customers. By investing in top technical talent, Vapi ensures that its developer tools continue to evolve, constantly improving reliability, functionality, and usability. The company’s ultimate aim is to make voice AI as accessible and dependable as any other API in a modern developer’s stack.

Industry Endorsements and Market Validation

The excitement around Vapi is evident through endorsements from customers and partners like Groq, Relevance AI, and Deepgram. They praise Vapi’s responsiveness, ease of integration, and developer-focused support. From real-time voice sales agents to advanced training simulations and multilingual chat, these testimonials highlight the platform’s versatility and potential to shape how enterprises use voice technology.

By removing the friction of building from scratch, Vapi lets developers concentrate on their unique business logic. “I spent time at Stripe in 2012 and I saw what it takes to design and support a great API. This team has that kind of magic,” said Richard Burton, CEO of Balance IO.

Bending the Arc Back to the Human Voice

Vapi’s mission is rooted in the idea that voice should once again become the default interface—a natural, human way to interact with technology. Through its flexible APIs, industry-leading latency, and developer-first approach, Vapi delivers voice AI capabilities that feel as natural and responsive as any human conversation.

With the $20 million Series A in hand, Vapi stands poised to usher in a future where voice agents are as common and reliable as web or mobile interfaces. As enterprises across the globe look to scale their voice operations, Vapi provides the platform, tools, and guidance to help them build it—all in a matter of minutes.

[quietlyfail]

It's absolutely wild to me in an "and quartz" way that people do not know about the 30% cut on the App Store. Like. I say this as a person who had a (free) app on the App Store in 2016, so I am obviously more informed about how the App Store works than most people but it's still wild to me that people don't know.

Also to be clear I think Apple needs to make a different tier for apps whose value is being a platform/market place like Patreon.

[sayruq]

AN OPEN LETTER from Apple employees and shareholders demands the tech giant stop matching employee donations to organizations with ties to the Israeli military assault on the Gaza Strip and ongoing illegal settlement development in the West Bank. The letter, building on a previous demand by Apple employees for a ceasefire in the conflict, calls on the company to “promptly investigate and cease matching donations to all organizations that further illegal settlements in occupied territories and support the IDF.” As with many large corporations, Apple employees can make donations to a number of nonprofit organizations and receive matching contributions from their employer through a platform called Benevity. Among the charitable organizations eligible for dollar-matching from Apple are Friends of the IDF, an organization that collects donations on behalf of soldiers in the Israeli military, as well as a number of groups that contribute to the settlement enterprise in the West Bank, including HaYovel, One Israel Fund, the Jewish National Fund, and IsraelGives. Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

This isn't the only genocide Apple is funding.

[agapi-kalyptei]

crowdstrike: hot take 1

It's too early in the news cycle to say anything truly smart, but to sum things up, what I know so far:

there was no "hack" or cyberattack or data breach*

a private IT security company called CrowdStrike released a faulty update which practically disabled all its desktop (?) Windows workstations (laptops too, but maybe not servers? not sure)

the cause has been found and a fix is on the way

as it stands now, the fix will have to be manually applied (in person) to each affected workstation (this could mean in practice maybe 5, maybe 30 minutes of work for each affected computer - the number is also unknown, but it very well could be tens (or hundreds) of thousands of computers across thousands of large, multinational enterprises.

(The fix can be applied manually if you have a-bit-more-than-basic knowledge of computers)

Things that are currently safe to assume:

this wasn't a fault of any single individual, but of a process (workflow on the side of CrowdStrike) that didn't detect the fault ahead of time

[most likely] it's not that someone was incompetent or stupid - but we don't have the root cause analysis available yet

deploying bugfixes on Fridays is a bad idea

*The obligatory warning part:

Just because this wasn't a cyberattack, doesn't mean there won't be related security breaches of all kinds in all industries. The chaos, panic, uncertainty, and very soon also exhaustion of people dealing with the fallout of the issue will create a perfect storm for actually malicious actors that will try to exploit any possible vulnerability in companies' vulnerable state.

The analysis / speculation part:

globalization bad lol

OK, more seriously: I have not even heard about CrowdStrike until today, and I'm not a security engineer. I'm a developer with mild to moderate (outsider) understanding of vulnerabilities.

OK some background / basics first

It's very common for companies of any size to have more to protect their digital assets than just an antivirus and a firewall. Large companies (Delta Airlines) can afford to pay other large companies to provide security solutions for them (CrowdStrike). These days, to avoid bad software of any kind - malware - you need a complex suite of software that protects you from all sides:

desktop/laptop: antivirus, firewall, secure DNS, avoiding insecure WiFi, browser exploits, system patches, email scanner, phishing on web, phishing via email, physical access, USB thumb drive, motherboard/BIOS/UEFI vulnerabilities or built-in exploits made by the manufacturers of the Chinese government,

person/phone: phishing via SMS, phishing via calls, iOS/Android OS vulnerabilities, mobile app vulnerabilities, mobile apps that masquerade as useful while harvesting your data, vulnerabilities in things like WhatsApp where a glitched JPG pictures sent to you can expose your data, ...

servers: mostly same as above except they servers have to often deal with millions of requests per day, most of them valid, and at least some of the servers need to be connected to the internet 24/7

CDN and cloud services: fundamentally, an average big company today relies on dozens or hundreds of other big internet companies (AWS / Azure / GCP / Apple / Google) which in turn rely on hundreds of other companies to outsource a lot of tasks (like harvesting your data and sending you marketing emails)

infrastructure - routers... modems... your Alexa is spying on you... i'm tired... etc.

Anyway if you drifted to sleep in the previous paragraph I don't blame you. I'm genuinely just scratching the surface. Cybersecurity is insanely important today, and it's insanely complex too.

The reason why the incident blue-screened the machines is that to avoid malware, a lot of the anti-malware has to run in a more "privileged" mode, meaning they exist very close to the "heart" of Windows (or any other OS - the heart is called kernel). However, on this level, a bug can crash the system a lot more easily. And it did.

OK OK the actual hot lukewarm take finally

I didn't expect to get hit by y2k bug in the middle of 2024, but here we are.

As bad as it was, this only affected a small portion of all computers - in the ballpark of ~0.001% or even 0.0001% - but already caused disruptions to flights and hospitals in a big chunk of the world.

maybe-FAQ:

"Oh but this would be avoided if they weren't using the Crowdwhatever software" - true. However, this kind of mistake is not exclusive to them.

"Haha windows sucks, Linux 4eva" - I mean. Yeah? But no. Conceptually there is nothing that would prevent this from happening on Linux, if only there was anyone actually using it (on desktop).

"But really, Windows should have a better protection" - yes? no? This is a very difficult, technical question, because for kernel drivers the whole point is that 1. you trust them, and 2. they need the super-powerful-unrestrained access to work as intended, and 3. you _need_ them to be blazing fast, so babysitting them from the Windows perspective is counterproductive. It's a technical issue with no easy answers on this level.

"But there was some issue with Microsoft stuff too." - yes, but it's unknown if they are related, and at this point I have not seen any solid info about it.

The point is, in a deeply interconnected world, it's sort of a miracle that this isn't happening more often, and on a wider scale. Both bugfixes and new bugs are deployed every minute to some software somewhere in the world, because we're all in a rush to make money and pay rent and meet deadlines.

Increased monoculture in IT is bad for everyone. Whichever OS, whichever brand, whichever security solution provider - the more popular they are, the better visible their mistakes will be.

As much as it would be fun to make jokes like "CrowdStroke", I'm not even particularly mad at the company (at this point - that might change when I hear about their QA process). And no, I'm not even mad at Windows, as explained in the pseudo-FAQ.

The ultimate hot take? If at all possible, don't rely on anything related to computers. Technical problems are caused by technical solutions.

[probablyasocialecologist]

Through time, we’ve seen a progressive narrowing of how we experience entertainment: from the collective cinema experience, to the family viewing of the television, to the even narrower audience of the streaming service and various video apps, and now the expectation is that we’ll strap a set of screens directly onto our faces to ensure we can’t share an experience with another person. The development is a worrying one, and illustrates how disconnected tech executives are from real life.

The leaders of the tech industry are not only separated by much of the public because their wealth, experience of the world, and exclusive lifestyles, but also seem to have stunted social lives, or at least a lack of insight into the social nature of regular humans. They think an ideal way of living is one where as much as possible is mediated through digital technology because they have a specific interest in the tools that made them rich and powerful, and continuing a process that put them in that position in the first place. And while people have been open to going along with their visions, it’s pretty clear there’s a growing frustration and even dissatisfaction with the world they’ve created. Doubling down on it seems like a bad idea.

[...]

Given that the Vision Pro will retail for $3499 and won’t launch until 2024, with an initial rollout limited to the United States, I think we have a unique ability to ensure this project fails. We’ve already seen how ridicule can take the hype out of a tech bubble, most recently with crypto and the metaverse, but a decade ago the same thing happened with Google’s attempt to make its Glass smart glasses happen. Instead, its users were termed “Glassholes” and the product was scaled back and sold as a niche enterprise tool.

[applepiesupreme]

American Apple Pie

Pairing: Low/Mid Honor Arthur Morgan and female OC.

Rating: Explicit

Summary: Savigne Ricci is a temporary guest at the Van der Linde camp. Her path crosses with the enforcer of the gang, Arthur Morgan, and despite their differences, a relationship develops between them. Whole lot of smut and fluff, slow burn-ish.

Chapter 42

AO3 link:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/54945853/chapters/155064979

After that talk with Dutch and the gang, he asked John and Charles to help him reposition the wagon more distant to the camp center. Not as far as before - wasn’t wise to sit alone in the Bayou like that as a single tent - but at least far enough to give them a modicum of quiet and privacy. Two things he had lived an entire life without and two things he now enjoyed just as much as she did. The ground was too soft to hold beams so he had swung the tent fabric over some tree branches to make it bigger and put some wood pallets on the ground with their carpet on top to walk on. It looked nowhere near as nice as their original tent but ten times better than this morning.

Then it was time to head back to the city and he changed out of his dirty, sweaty clothes and climbed on the cart to ride to Saint Denis. On the way, his mind naturally replayed the gang discussion from earlier. Let them talk it out, he thought. He knew which way most were going to fall and if he could break off at least a few of them, those few had a shot and headbutting with Dutch was worth that shot. It felt odd, making these calculations about the gang, felt like he was trying to be Dutch, but regardless of his decision to leave, he still cared for these people and if a push was all they needed to get out of the orbit of this calamity, then he was here to give it. 

Him and Dutch - that was clearly over. Had been over a while now, maybe even since the very day Savigne had followed a strutting Hosea into camp.

"The hell is that?" Arthur scoffed as he squinted towards Dutch’s tent while he wiped the blood of his recent hunt off his hands. "That might be our new temporary resident," Mary Beth sighed as she scratched out a sentence in her notebook and scribbled over it.  "We takin' guests now?" His eyes crawled over the newcomer’s pressed clothes and her clean boots.   "Not guest. Resident. Hosea says she's going to pay rent," she mumbled absentmindedly. He grunted, thinking Hosea was losing it at his old age. It was one thing to bring in the strays, another thing entirely to turn the camp into an enterprise. Folks like this among them while they had bounties on their heads? Who could be sure she wouldn't run to the law first chance she got to rat them out? He decided he would talk it out with Hosea and Dutch both. Wouldn't have to if they had asked him first, but neither man gave a damn what Arthur thought until things went south. He was a lughead when all was steady, but as soon as stuff went sideways, suddenly it was his job to fix it. Because at that point fixing it meant breaking bones, and neither gentlemen liked getting their hands dirty. Mary Beth looked up and watched as Savigne shook hands with Dutch, all serious and demure, shoulders hiked up as if she was trying hard to look confident. "Hosea says she's a cook. She's pretty, isn’t she?” Arthur had already lost interest. "Long as her money is green," he grumbled and threw the bloody towel into the dirty clothes bin. He scratched his beard and glanced over his shoulder and observed Savigne’s eyes dart around the gang, nervous as if she was in the middle of a pack of wolves. "She city folk. Ain't gonna last a week." "She might. If the brutes in this gang stay away from her. That includes you, by the way." "I ain't gonna bother her highness," he huffed, then paused. "Unless she don' pay, that is." Mary Beth's eyebrows rose at that. "You think 'm above collectin' from a woman, think again," was his added growl.

In hindsight, prophetic words.

After that, he had promptly forgotten about her and his desire to talk to Dutch and Hosea. She had made it easy enough by darting in and out of camp like a field mouse and staying out of sight, and he had made it easier still by drinking the idle hours of his vapid life away. In fact, the next time he thought of her at all was when, weeks later, he had gone to write his contribution into the camp ledger and there was her neat name with the $50 next to it. He had paged back and there it was, again and again and again. Something about the promptness, the unfailing clockwork repetition of it had miffed him. He should have felt approval of her tenacity, but instead, for whatever reason, next to Sean’s barely legible $2.50, and Uncle’s stuttering scribble of $10, the print-like neatness of her handwriting and that $50 per week had stood out like a smug upturned nose.

To this day he was unsure why this had tipped his fairly neutral opinion of her to dislike but that was the moment he had really noticed her existence, and the turning point after which he found himself complaining about her whenever the subject came up and a few times even when it hadn’t. She had done nothing disagreeable to him or to anyone else, but the more she kept to herself, the more annoyed he became. A month later when she had run up to him in Valentine, it had felt as if the gods had served her up on a platter for punishment for all the slights she hadn’t done, and Arthur Morgan had been ready to dole it out.

Or so he had thought.

Now, merely two seasons removed, here he was trying to navigate how an outlaw becomes a law abiding citizen, how a drifter builds a home, how an orphan turns into a family man. For her.

He entered the city as the short winter day darkened and turned his mind to the next problem in line:

Underdeveloped, he thought and clicked his tongue. That probably my fault, too. He was the reason she was still in this shithole in the first place, so it wasn't that far of a reach. He was no stranger to anger or guilt, but shame was not a feeling he often grappled with. And yet, this past day, that's all he had felt. It had shamed him when he had stepped out of the hut with the breakfast trays this morning, to see her sit on those crooked chairs in the mud. Had made him feel like John. Like he didn't care how his woman and his child lived or what they ate or how they fared. Shamed him that she slept in an unpacked wagon among gators and snakes. At least before, the tent had been big, airy and clean and she had had an oven and everything else that made her happy. Now she lived like the rest of them bums, but unlike them, she was no bum. 

No wonder she was distant and withdrawn. No wonder she didn’t trust him and was trying to talk him out of fatherhood - hell, a signpost would make a better father at this point because at least a signpost would do no harm. All these years he had teased John and put him down, but John had done more by her than he had. Time to eat yer humble pie, he scoffed, shaking his head. All them years naggin' how bad of a parent John was, but soon as you became one, you done the same.

He thought of that ring in his satchel and let out a frustrated breath. Clearly she had reservations about his skills as a father, so it didn’t take a genius to understand why now she wouldn’t want him as a husband either. He should have done this sooner, back when she still had confidence in him. Should have put that ring on her finger the day he bought it, soon as he returned to that hotel. She would have said yes that Sunday. And after, when his foolish choices boomeranged back as they had, he could have weathered the storm by insisting “Woman, I vowed ‘till death do us part’, and I ain’t the kind to break it”. A disgraceful idea? Sure. But in his defense, he was a selfish bastard.

Bag it, Hosea spat in his head. Pick up the damn ball and walk on. Nobody got time for your bullshit.

"'M goin', old man," he sighed to himself. "'M goin'."

When she came out, he was waiting. Maybe because he had missed her so fiercely this past month, or maybe she had changed in womanly ways he couldn’t understand, but even after a day of work and clearly tired, she looked stunning to him. It was one of those things he couldn't wrap his head around - how and when she had gone from the mousy, plain person who had showed up in camp to the splendid woman she was today. The few precious things in his life he had to his own, he had always felt possessive about, but there was a softness and vulnerability to her now that intensified how protective he felt of her. He wondered if that circling shark was always going to be a feature in his life now, if he was ever going to feel less on edge. Or was he now forever doomed to lie awake at night, pondering the ways the world could hurt his family and how to circumvent them?

She spotted him and in that first unguarded moment her face always betrayed how much she cared for him and it swelled his heart. Thirty six years on this dust ball and the number of people who had ever looked at him like that, he could count on one hand. The ones who stuck around, on one finger. 

He offered her his arm and she accepted. They strolled through the evening streets of Saint Denis. This city held both some of the best and some of the worst memories for him. But he liked it better after dark, when the dirty and the ugly was concealed by shadows and the people looked more agreeable under the soft glow of light bulbs. They passed through a street with food vendors who were bracing the cold and hoping to unload the last of their wares and walked through broken English and puffs of breaths in the chilly winter night and the sharp tang of spice, the aroma of warm bread. His stomach grumbled. Guarma had starved him good and proper and despite eating several meals since his return, his hunger wasn't sated. Savigne stopped at a stall selling tamales and he followed her gaze to the vendor's wife who had a kid strapped to her back. 

"Hola," she said and approached the woman. Savigne didn't speak Spanish and by the looks of it, the woman didn't speak English, but that didn't stop them none as they gestured and oohed and ahhed and their hands fluttered like courting butterflies. It fascinated him how women who had never met stepped up to one another without hesitation and ran their fingers across each other’s arms and squeezed hands and talked without speaking. Arthur glanced at the vendor and returned the offered grin with a curt nod and an uncomfortable shifting of his feet. He decided to buy two tamales because it seemed like the polite thing to do as the women "chatted". When he was told the price he wished he spoke Spanish after all, just so he could express his opinions about highway robbery. Still, he didn't back out because it would look cheap and well, nobody wanted a cheap husband or a cheap father. So he paid and chewed on his tamale as Savigne ran her fingers over the sash that was criss-crossed across the woman's torso and circled her to inspect how it was wound up in the back. She gently patted the swaddled pupa of a baby with just a shock of black hair showing and walked back around.

She called Arthur over and asked if he had his journal on him and when he said he did she asked him to draw the lady. He handed her the tamales as he dug into his satchel, produced a pen and made a quick sketch of the woman who was excited to pose.

“Make sure you draw how she tied her sash,” Savigne muttered, straining to see the page in the dim light. Then she smiled and twirled a finger in the air and the mother turned so he can draw the back. When he was done both her and her vendor husband walked over and looked at his drawing and were unreasonably happy and the husband offered his “buenos”s and a free tamale.

The women waved goodbye as if they’ve know each other for years and Savigne gave him the third tamale as she nibbled on hers.

He wanted to ask what she was thinking and if she meant to strap the grub on like that but there was a chance that she would turn tense and evasive again, so he swallowed his questions.

She handed him her own tamale to finish as they approached the clinic.

"What's wrong with it?" he asked.

"I don’t like pork anymore.”

When they sat down in the waiting room, she picked up and flitted through a magazine about flower arrangements. The clinic was quiet at this hour with just another person there. His ailment - a dry cough - made Arthur give him a narrow eyed hard stare. The man looked back, somewhat apologetic. Arthur shifted his eyes at Savigne, then back at him and subtly jabbed his chin towards the far end of the room. The man seemed offended at this. Arthur sat up and slowly raised his eyebrows as in “Really?”, and the fool finally wilted under his frosty gaze, staggered to his feet and moved a few chairs down.

“Look how pretty,” she showed him a page. “Like food, but with flowers.”

He hummed with appreciation but it was pretend because the notion that food had to be pretty made no sense to him. Lazan ya looked plain and tasted delicious.

The examination room was simple and clean which he approved. But one look at this Polio guy, and his hackles rose. Ridiculously good looking for a doctor. His eyes twitched to Savigne who was gazing at the doctor as if he was walking on water. His dislike only intensified at this and he played with the hat in his hands to distract himself.

Polio was affable enough and gave him a handshake when they were introduced. Surgeon hands - smooth and firm.

“I’m glad to meet you. I was told you would return, happy to see it.” 

When Savigne had removed that stupid ring as she exited the steakhouse, he had been relieved. It bothered him that she had a fake ring on her finger and it bothered him more that this was due to his own cowardice. But now he kind of wished she hadn’t because here he was, standing in front of Polio with his baby in her and no ring on her finger like a deadbeat loser.

Since he had managed to strongarm his way into the doctor's appointment, he felt like he had to justify being here, so he asked the first question that popped up in his head: “She allowed to ride?”

“I recommend she doesn’t ride a horse, no,” Polio responded. Arthur's confidence surged at that because this assured him that he had done good by being “insufferable” as she had called it this morning. Savigne gave him an annoyed side eye, but he latched on to that feeling of righteousness and plowed on:

“Was told the gr-baby could be…” he cleared this throat, “…healthier.”

“Yes,” was the somber response. “But nothing we can’t catch up with. Your…” there was a short moment where he sensed the doctor debate with himself what to call her,  “…partner needs to eat more. Rest more. Work less. And less tension is always recommended.”

“I’m doing all those things,” Savigne objected. It didn’t escape his attention that the usual sullen ire in her tone was replaced by polite defensiveness.

“I’m confident you can do better, Ms. Ricci,” he chided her and the demure way she accepted this instead of the bristling upturn of a nose Arthur would have received annoyed him too.

The doctor turned to him again. “Now that you’re back, I expect improvement.”

“Yes, sir.” was his polite response. What did this fool of a man know? She might be sitting here all nice and proper, but he had tamed wild horses with less effort than it took to make Savigne do something she didn't want to do. 

Polio settled in his chair. “Let’s take your vitals.”

He inspected her and she seemed to enjoy his attention. When he was done, she didn’t even need to be asked before she unbuttoned her shirt so he can glide his hands over her bump. Jealousy flared up at him. Sure, he knew this was the doctor and he knew he had to do the inspecting, and he also knew that he himself hadn't earned the privilege yet, but the fact that this man was so readily granted access to something that was denied to him bruised his ego.  

Polio put in his stethoscope and listened. “Very healthy heartbeat though,” he said with approval. “Would you like to hear, Mister…?”

“Kilgore,” he jumped in. “And yes, I would.”

Polio offered the earpiece to him and then glided the stethoscope bell along Savigne’s stomach. 

Suddenly, the beating of a rapid pulse, the same rabbit heart from his Guarma dream drumming in his ears. We meet at last, he thought as the familiar rapture ran through him, You called and I came. I will always come. He grinned despite himself and huffed a cough of delight. Thank you for saving me. Thank you, thank you, thank you…His hand itched but he restrained himself and didn’t touch her.

“Strong heart,” Polio complimented. A better man would think “I yelled at this woman, disappeared on her, then slept on a bedroll like a sullen child, then gone disappeared again and caused her grief and hurt”. But being who he was, he just grinned with pride as if he had crafted the heart himself. He nodded, a little overcome and handed him back the headset and caught her eyes. The unguarded smile on her face stuttered his breath.

When they stepped outside he was still reeling, boiling with emotions he couldn’t describe. Saint Denis flashed by him with color and light and music and he hardly noticed, focused on not tangling his feet.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, giving him furtive looks.

“Nothin’s wrong,” he sniffed. “Everythin’s right.” He folded his hand on hers that was sitting on the crook of his arm.

“Did you like the doctor?”

“Man looks too young to be a doctor,” was his careful response.

“He’s very clean,” she sighed wistfully.

“That’s important,” he conceded.

They walked on and he wasn’t sure where they were going and to be honest, he didn’t care that much either. His eye was turned inward; something was percolating in him, bubbling and threatening to brim over, but he couldn’t name it. He felt light headed and drunk and short of breath. Next alley they were passing he snatched her hand and drew her in and a few feet away from the foot traffic he pushed her shoulders against the wall to kiss her. It threw her off but only for a moment and his battered old heart drummed against his rib cage when her small hands crawled up his shoulders and danced in the hair on the back of his neck as she kissed him back. She tasted like the peppermint candy that she had snatched from the doctor’s office and offhandedly flashed at him with a mischievous grin, and her mouth was soft and warm. He was careful not to crush her as he leaned into her, his palm pushing up her face as he ran his tongue over her teeth and suckled on her lips, feeling himself increasingly heady. There was an insatiable hunger in him and when she moaned into his mouth it shed its strange, unknown skin and quickly morphed into lust.

Five weeks wasn’t that long of a time; before Savigne he had gone far longer without a woman. But that was before he was spoiled by waking up next to one for months. He felt famished for her and increasingly reckless that they were just off a busy street in a crowded city as the flutter of her pulse under his lips and the sighs in his ear drove him to the quicksand marshes where a man could lose his footing and sink. Distantly he felt himself grow hard and that familiar pressure started building in his gut. He swallowed and broke off and pulled back to get himself under control, or else he would ravish her right here and now.

He placed his forehead on hers and panted with the effort to overcome his rising need, the swelling of temptation. Her hands fluttered on his cheeks and streaked down his chest. There was so much in him, too damn much, and he felt he had to pour the cup to regain his composure, but his head insisted that a dark side street in Saint Denis was no place to do it. 

“You okay?” she breathed and the thickness of her voice told him she wouldn’t refuse him if he gave in, which only served to harden him further.

“About that…hotel…” he rasped and felt her cheek stretch with a smile in the cup of his right hand. Clearly she enjoyed the affect she had on him.  

“Back one day and you’re already trying to get under my skirt. Not sure you deserve it, Mister Morgan.”

He groaned as she placed a playful long kiss under his ear. He braced his arms on both sides of her head and angled his hips out in an herculean effort to lasso back his runaway desire. She took pity on him then and dropped her hands. 

“How about we go Saturday? So we can have a lazy morning. Like last time.”

“The hell is it today?” he groaned.

Her amusement tinkled in his ears. “Thursday.”

“Fuck!” he hissed.

She laughed again and he pressed his mouth so he wouldn’t dive in and kiss the laughter off her lips.

“But it depends.”

“On?”

He opened his eyes and there she was, eyes glittering with mischief. “You might want to avoid throwing me against a tree again.”

He blinked rapidly as he recalled that night in the woods. The memory of how she had fallen to her knees in front of him and almost tore the buttons of his trousers off made his cock twitch. He groaned and bounced off the wall, wiping his palms over his face to come down from his intoxication. 

“Savigne, ‘m warnin’ ya, you keep that up, we gonna get in trouble.”

“Keep what up?” she said innocently as she dug into her skirt pocket and retrieved another candy. He watched her unwrap it and press it between those delectable lips and quickly looked away, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Undoubtedly she was teasing him. Desire reared in him like a wild horse, indomitable and determined to throw him off. You would think a man of his age would be the master of his base urges but that was easier said than done. He swallowed, bewildered by the churning of his emotions, one pouring into the other, one melting into the next.

“Think you missed me, too,” she smiled, rolling the candy in her mouth and Arthur’s mouth went dry as it bulged against a cheek. His cock twitched again and the tension in his thighs tightened as he took a frustrated breath, stepping away. 

He gave her a warning look and she sobered a little at his expression. “Saturday. No backin' out.” He offered his arm again and she took it and guided him to the stable where they picket up Frost and Cricket and the cart.

She gasped when they rolled in and she saw the new tent, promptly ignored his calls to wait for him to come around as she scrambled down the cart and ran off. He took a defeated breath, unhooked the horses and followed, but it pleased him to catch her stroll around enchanted, touching the objects on the crates to put them in their perfect positions.

“You like it?” he asked, even though it was obvious she did and his heart lurched when she beamed at him. It was ridiculously easy to please Savigne.  

“Looks very nice,” she grinned.

He saw the subtle grimace that flew over her face at the state of his photos pinned on the crate and he walked up to fix the corners.

“Don’ fly off the handle, but ‘m thinkin’ maybe you can work less?” he asked carefully. She was quiet for a while as she sat down on the bed and chewed her lip.

"We need the money," was her cautious response.

He sat next to her. "'M here now. We have more money." 

"I know," she played with the candy wrapper she found in her skirt pocket. "But we also have...you know...additions."

"Savigne," he sighed, placing his hat on the nearby crate. "You gotta let me do somethin'."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I can't do what yer doin'. But this my child, too. I can do the money, you ain't gotta worry 'bout that."

These were the things she was skittish about and he tried not to take it personally. Even on their best days, she had balked at the notion of depending on someone other than herself and it shouldn't surprise him that the trust she had in him had only eroded since. She gave him a furtive look like she understood where he was coming from and relented: “I’ll talk to Luther about reducing my hours. Or days. But I just started back there and they might say no.”

If it was up to him, she wouldn't be working at all, but he knew her well enough to bide his time for a better moment. It’s been a day. Knock, don’t kick the door in.

“I’m happy we’re not in the middle of camp anymore,” she grinned in an effort to lead the conversation back to a positive note. “You said honest, so here is honesty: I didn’t miss the rest of them.”

He chuckled at that. “What ‘bout Bill?” he teased.

“It sucked that I had to leave his ice box behind!” she bemoaned.

“Then why did ya?”

She looked at him like he was a fool. “I was too embarrassed to ask Charles to lift it for me. He was the only one left to do the heavy lifting and he had a whole camp to dismantle. So I told him he doesn’t have to bother with it.”

He snorted at that. “That what you get for lyin’.”

“I was trying to be considerate,” she grumbled. “I don’t mind Bill and Javier. But you know I don’t like Dutch. And I’m not celebrating Micah’s return, either.”

“Micah ain’t returned. He dead.”

Her head snapped up to him. “How?”

He gave her a long look, uncertain if he should say it. He was still smarting from her reaction to Ecco’s demise. She had admitted that she was thankful when she thought he was asleep, but he wasn’t sure if she really understood or agreed that it had been necessary. That the only thing that could stop a bad man was another bad man - a killer. Before he could wobble on this point and slide back to dishonesty again, he made himself say it:

“Killed him.”

“You killed him?” she started.

He nodded. “Honest,” was his quiet reminder. “No lies.” 

“Why?” was her late timid whisper.

“Knew he was gonna come after you if I didn’ make it.”

She blinked at him. “How do you know that?”

“Was his nature,” he said simply.

She thought on this for a long time, chewing her lip as he watched her face. Whenever he engaged in violence around her, there was the same trepidation in his heart: that she would revile him. That she would fear him. That she couldn’t make peace with who he was, because this was the man he was now and forever, this was his nature, and he wasn’t sorry.

He was a little surprised when she finally looked up at him and nodded. “I understand.”

“How so?” was his curious question.

She shrugged and leaned down to untie her boots. “You’re my man, aren’t you?”

Said so casually, so naturally that it took his breath away.

There was a part of him, a more guarded and cautious part that hoped she would never understand what hearing that did to him. How terrifying it was, the power she had over him.

“I have to change into my nightgown," she said as she slid her boots off. "Turn around.”

“Why?”

“Because.”

“I ain’t turnin’ ‘round,” he scoffed, crossing his arms.

Her eyes blazed at him with unexpected ire. "Why, so you can call me massive?"

"Listen here, I ain't never-"

"Turn around."

He exhaled in frustration and walked up to the flap of the tent, faced the inky darkness and fished out a cigarette.

“‘M telling ya now, this ain’t gonna fly Saturday.”

“Doctor said no tension, so remember that.”

“Stop cookin' up tension then,” he lobed over his shoulder.

“Easy for you to say,” she mumbled under her breath. “Imagine never having to blow up like a balloon!”

"Woman, yer barely showin'."

"Sure, and I'm wearing this corset for fun, not because my breasts are the size of melons!"

He shifted on his feet and tried to ignore his traitorous, pathetic cock twitching at the notion. In his head, a swift calculation of how many hours were left for Saturday which released a burst of saliva in his mouth as if he was a hungry beast. He inhaled a frustrated breath and made an effort to think of something else - anything else. 

"Told John he can still come with," he said to the Bayou. "To the cabin. Till Spring."

Her "Okay," was unexpected. When he looked over his shoulder she had changed into her bed wear and was loosening her hair. He threw out his cigarette and walked in to undress, too.

"Y'aint gonna argue?"

"Why would I argue? I like John," she watched him in the mirror. "He was very nice to me." Then she paused and gave him a look. "Of course, Abigail will be there too..."

His eyes flicked to her and back as he pulled up his cotton pants. "So?”

"So…” she said pointedly, climbing on the bed, "...a lot, and I mean a lot will depend on how you handle the next few months, Arthur."

"The hell that mean?"

"You know exactly what," she muttered as she lied down.

"Savigne, I haven't touched this woman in years. And John is my brother."

The look she threw his way made him wonder if he had done the right thing by inviting the Marstons. "I'm just warning you, that's all."

"'Bout?"

"Conduct." She said coolly and pulled the thin cover over herself. 

Whatever that meant. Good job plantin' this mine field under yer feet, he thought. He ran his palms over his face and was about to turn the lantern off when the word triggered something in his head and he reached to his shirt to retrieve the folded paper from his pocket. "Look here," he said softly. "This for you."

"What is it?" she sat up, surprised.

"Jasmine," he said as she carefully unfolded the paper. "Was told to plant it home." Her face lit up as she carefully pushed the dark pellets around. He cleared his throat. "Ain't the ordinary kind. Heirloom," he added to fluff up the somewhat underwhelming gift, ironically as Hercule had done. 

"Okay," she grinned, carefully folding the paper back up and placing it on the nearby crate. "Thank you. I love it." She paused for a moment and looked at him from under her eyebrows. "You know...that's the first thing you ever gifted me."

"Lies," he huffed. But in his head, he was bewildered to find it true. Christ, grub really must have made her stupid, why else would she stick with you?

She didn't argue and lied back down and was a lot less stiff and frosty and she didn’t slap his hand away like last night. He enveloped her like before and kissed her temple, then her neck. 

"That enough to get under yer skirt?" he grinned. Then he added a hasty “Just kiddin’,” when she tensed in his arms.

"I wonder what kind of soil they like," she whispered a while later. "And climate." A moment passed. "There is a gardener shop in the city, I'll ask them tomorrow." He smiled to himself, happy with her enthusiasm. Then she said something that surprised him:

"You think we can plant one on Hosea's grave?"

"Sure,” was his belated answer.

“He was the one who invited me to the camp,” she pondered quietly. “And he was always nice to me. I miss him.”

“Miss him too,” he sighed as the familiar dagger swiped at his heart. “Was more a father to me than m’own.”

Her hand closed over his and squeezed gently and he relished her closeness, her warmth, her compassion. It occurred to him that by a twist of fate, a single fork in the road he could be lying in that hut with the others right now and have nobody but himself as he faced this loss. A deep gratitude for his fortune washed over him. Grief was a lot easier to carry with her by his side.

Sometime during the night she gasped and sat up and he woke up and reflexively did the same.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, still disoriented. The vestiges of Guarma followed him around, probably because the Bayou climate and mood was similar enough to the jungle and he often woke up in the night, unsure where he was. He tried to shake his sleep off and was about to ask again when she said:

“It kicked.”

For a moment he thought she was startled out of a dream, too. “What?”

“The grub. Just kicked.”

He stilled to process this as his mind went blank. “What does that mean?” was his nervous question. He had barely been around for Eliza’s pregnancy and obviously he hadn’t shared a tent with Abigail or had had extensive conversations about her day to day condition, so to say that his knowledge in the matter was massively lacking was an understatement. In his head he calculated how quickly he can prepare the cart, throw her in the back and how fast he can fly to Saint Denis. Polio had said that the clinic had a doctor sleeping there for after hours in case of emergencies, but had also given Arthur his card with his home address. Then it occurred to him that he could just run over to the hut and wake up Abigail. He threw his legs off the bed and was about to do that when her chuckle in the dark surprised him.

“It’s fine.” She searched for and found his hand. “Polleux said they sometimes do that. Means they’re getting stronger.”

He woke up all the way when she guided his hand to her belly and held it there. His heart staggered and he was stupefied that this major barrier was being lifted for him right here, right now, just like that. Moments later he felt it: a tap, gentle but unmistakable, like a bird flapping open a wing in his palm. He exhaled a huff of surprise and moved to sit closer behind her left shoulder. They stilled and waited, then it happened again. That breathlessness came over him again and his head swam.

“We sure this is fine?” he whispered, cautious. I need to read a damn book or somethin’ he thought to himself.

“Yeah. It’s a good thing. Like the heartbeat.” He heard the grin in her voice and took a shuddering breath as his shoulders relaxed.

He circled his palm over the thin cotton of her nightgown, and kissed her shoulder, then her neck. “Does it hurt?”

“A little,” she mumbled. “But mostly it just feels weird.”

Her head turned to him and he moved his hand off her belly to gently grip her chin as he leaned over her shoulder to kiss her, slow and deep.

“I’m a little scared,” she said quietly when he broke it. Her eyelashes whispered against his cheek.

What he thought was ‘Sounds nice, because I’m fucking terrified’, but what he said was “Gonna be fine.”

She sighed and lied back down and he adjusted to lie behind her but kept his hand on her bump. He felt the kick twice more, then nothing.

Conflicting emotions washed over him. A healthy dose of contentment but also that old, familiar guilt that had reared its head years later and refused to duck back down. Then guilt for feeling guilt - for letting the past mar the present.

He had missed all this with Isaac, had abandoned him to grow alone, unheard as he tapped his wing out to the world. But the deeper truth was that even now, with the wisdom of hindsight, he couldn’t see himself doing this with Eliza and he felt guilt for that, too. His relationship with Savigne had a nasty way of retrieving the past. Like cleaning under the bed and finding a dead mouse. Now that the present had caught up to the past, he couldn’t shake that shadow that kept chasing him. He hadn’t loved Eliza - hell, without the booze in his veins, he had barely liked her, but he kept thinking if maybe he could have, if he had tried. Wasn’t that hard to like someone, was it? You just had to look at the good and ignore the bad - like looking around a scar, as Hosea had said. Why was it so easy with Savigne and had felt impossible with Eliza?

He loved it when Savigne needed him, but when Eliza had - and understandably so - he had found it stifling. He loved lying here, but the notion of doing the same with Eliza had turned his stomach and other than that drunken fucking, he had never attempted to share a bed with her again. Even when he visited and she had offered, then had practically begged him, he had stubbornly chosen to camp outside. To discourage her from thinking this was more than it was, he had told himself but deep in his gut, he had enjoyed the cruelty of it. And when the rejection had soured him to her with each visit, he had enjoyed that too. It had validated his feelings for her - of course he didn’t like her when she was so vile to him, but all the while he was the reason for that vileness.

Why? This many years later, looking at it from this far away, he sensed it had been a feeble attempt to distance himself of both the foolishness of that drunk fucking and the consequences of it. His attempt to unsee his own his mistakes and the consequences of his mistakes. Wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t served him all those drinks, would it? Nevermind that he had ordered those drinks. Wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t flirted with him (he had done the flirting), wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t invited him to that barn (he had done the inviting), wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t seduced him (he was the one who had gotten handsy), wouldn’t have happened if he had pulled out but how could he pull out if he was drunk and he was drunk because she had served him all those drinks. On and on the circle went but the result was the same: she had done this and now she wanted him to suffer for it and by god, he wasn’t gonna. As if getting pregnant by a man who didn’t care for her wasn’t the bigger suffering. As if growing big alone while being pushed out of town wasn’t suffering. As if going through pregnancy alone and ostracized, giving birth alone, raising a child alone, watching a sullen man come and go as he pleased to throw a few dollars on the table and acting all magnanimous about it wasn’t the real suffering.

There was that shame again. So much shame. Like that dead mouse that had been stinking up the room for years and now revealed: a mountain of naked, stomach turning shame. What was the point of doing anything right when none of that could ever undo the wrong he did? There was no redemption for him and never would be. Ever. What was the point of any of it?

He shifted a little and Savigne, now asleep, stirred against him. And then he thought because I have to save that one person in town and hope that’s enough. Wasn’t going to be enough, nothing was going to be enough, but he sensed that the tiny pin that massive board was balanced on, that tender hope was the point.

The idea soothed him and he splayed his hand on her belly as took a deep breath.

My yesterdays will follow me like a shadow and there ain’t no gettin’ rid of a shadow. But if I keep my face to the sun, they’ll remain to my back and can’t darken my todays.

Here’s hoping, anyway.

[lboogie1906]

Robert Frederick Smith (December 1, 1962) is a businessman, philanthropist, chemical engineer, and investor. He is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of private equity firm Vista Equity Partners.

In high school, he applied for an internship at Bell Labs but was told the program was intended for college students. He persisted, calling each Monday for five months. When a student from M.I.T. did not show up, he got the position, and that summer he developed a reliability test for semiconductors. He earned a BS in chemical engineering from Cornell University. He became a brother of Alpha Phi Alpha. He received his MBA from Columbia University with concentrations in finance and marketing.

He worked at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Air Products & Chemicals, and Kraft General Foods as a chemical engineer, where he registered two US and two European patents. He worked for Goldman Sachs in technology investment banking, first in New York City and then in Silicon Valley. He advised on mergers and acquisition activity with companies such as Apple and Microsoft. He was included in Vanity Fair’s New Establishment List, which is an annual ranking of individuals who have made impactful business innovations.

He founded Vista Equity Partners, a private equity and venture capital firm of which he is the principal founder, chairman, and chief executive. He is credited with generating a 30 percent rate of return for his investors from the company’s inception to 2020. Vista Equity Partners was the fourth largest enterprise software company after Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP, including all their holdings. Vista has invested in companies such as STATS, Ping Identity, and Jio. Vista Equity Partners had closed more than $46 billion of funding.

He was named Private Equity International’s Game Changer of the Year for his work with Vista.

The 2019 PitchBook Private Equity Awards named Vista Equity Partners “Dealmaker of the Year”. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #alphaphialpha

[labselkie]

skyliv master post! [the ship not my account lol]

although she wasn’t my introduction to selfshipping, and at first i was actually too nervous to even consider her, i am so corny when it comes to liv. in a good and bad way.

idk what to describe this post as, its a mix of tag descriptions and lore summary! hope that makes sense lol

@kayakoto-enterprises you wanted to be tagged helloo!!!

s/i info: Lucielle Ross! 25 year old mutant who’s recently graduated from Xavier’s with a masters in wildlife biology (Specifically marine life but Xavier’s didn’t have a separate course for that). Mutation caused her to be born with those seal features, her main power being that she can transform if she has her pelt and is at water. She’d followed Olivia’s work throughout university, and had briefly met her, but they finally properly met when Luce signs up as a mutant volunteer for Alchemax.

In this universe, the collider has barely reached its target funding, meaning construction hasn’t even started. Fisk still funds Alchemax (not for his family) but Liv is still finishing up other projects. One project in particular, what Lucielle volunteered to help with, is an addition to security systems that detects the X gene in people. It was supposed to just be one appointment, maybe some DNA samples and advice on the device, but since Luce was the first volunteer Liv figures there wouldnt be any harm in suggesting weekly meetings. For science of course!

She’s swearing she won’t get attached, after all Kingpin just offered a few billion dollars to start more research on multiverse theory. But. whoops. seals r cute and she thinks this woman is too

Their relationship is weird (/j i just like to poke fun at them) built off mutual fascination in each other and the reassuring sense that they can take this slow. Liv is still doctor octopus, so there’s some tension with her being in that line of work (there’s been at least one incident w that metal chair). One loving the other is like breathing to them, even from different ways of life they found themselves bound from the start, stuck together like suction cups

a seal and an octopus, a lamb and a cat, the ocean and the cliffs, magics and technology, they’re an odd mixture but they fit together just fine

main au list: sky-spider [spidersona x Doc Ock], fantasy [ocean princess x alchemist], march hare [villainsona nd doc ock!]

fun fact liv is eventually discouraged to ruin her life by devoting it to the collider in particular. she’s still a hard worker, maybe spot can be a villain hmm.. idk.

tags: #liv gifs [gifs, pretty obvious], #🪶🧪 [general- any art, writing, or rbs that make me think of her nd me], #fantasy au [self explanatory, a few drabbles on my most developed au], #sky spider [also self explanatory, anything with my spidersona], #phoca vitulina [anything with my selkie/mutant s/i], #tender buttons [my first fic! older posts, but it includes the full thing on a drive], #🐚 [any of my writing posts abt liv], #⚗️ [my newest lore fanfic! regarding my mutant s/i]

playlist: right here! on apple music. either going by vibes or specific to meanings, i just really like these songs, and i feel like they’d both like these tracks

[scifigeneration]

ChatGPT and the movie ‘Her’ are just the latest example of the ‘sci-fi feedback loop’

by Rizwan Virk, Faculty Associate and PhD Candidate in Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology at Arizona State University

In May 2024, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman sparked a firestorm by referencing the 2013 movie “Her” to highlight the novelty of the latest iteration of ChatGPT.

Within days, actor Scarlett Johansson, who played the voice of Samantha, the AI girlfriend of the protagonist in the movie “Her,” accused the company of improperly using her voice after she had spurned their offer to make her the voice of ChatGPT’s new virtual assistant. Johansson ended up suing OpenAI and has been invited to testify before Congress.

This tiff highlights a broader interchange between Hollywood and Silicon Valley that’s called the “sci-fi feedback loop.” The subject of my doctoral research, the sci-fi feedback loop explores how science fiction and technological innovation feed off each other. This dynamic is bidirectional and can sometimes play out over many decades, resulting in an ongoing loop.

Fiction sparks dreams of Moon travel

One of the most famous examples of this loop is Moon travel.

Jules Verne’s 1865 novel “From the Earth to the Moon” and the fiction of H.G. Wells inspired one of the first films to visualize such a journey, 1902’s “A Trip to the Moon.”

The fiction of Verne and Wells also influenced future rocket scientists such as Robert Goddard, Hermann Oberth and Oberth’s better-known protégé, Wernher von Braun. The innovations of these men – including the V-2 rocket built by von Braun during World War II – inspired works of science fiction, such as the 1950 film “Destination Moon,” which included a rocket that looked just like the V-2.

Films like “Destination Moon” would then go on to bolster public support for lavish government spending on the space program.

Creative symbiosis

The sci-fi feedback loop generally follows the same cycle.

First, the technological climate of a given era will shape that period’s science fiction. For example, the personal computing revolution of the 1970s and 1980s directly inspired the works of cyberpunk writers Neal Stephenson and William Gibson.

Then the sci-fi that emerges will go on to inspire real-world technological innovation. In his 1992 classic “Snow Crash,” Stephenson coined the term “metaverse” to describe a 3-D, video game-like world accessed through virtual reality goggles.

Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and innovators have been trying to build a version of this metaverse ever since. The virtual world of the video game Second Life, released in 2003, took a stab at this: Players lived in virtual homes, went to virtual dance clubs and virtual concerts with virtual girlfriends and boyfriends, and were even paid virtual dollars for showing up at virtual jobs.

This technology seeded yet more fiction; in my research, I discovered that sci-fi novelist Ernest Cline had spent a lot of time playing Second Life, and it inspired the metaverse of his bestselling novel “Ready Player One.”

The cycle continued: Employees of Oculus VR – now known as Meta Reality Labs – were given copies of “Ready Player One” to read as they developed the company’s virtual reality headsets. When Facebook changed its name to Meta in 2021, it did so in the hopes of being at the forefront of building the metaverse, though the company’s grand ambitions have tempered somewhat.

Another sci-fi franchise that has its fingerprints all over this loop is “Star Trek,” which first aired in 1966, right in the middle of the space race.

Steve Perlman, the inventor of Apple’s QuickTime media format and player, said he was inspired by an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” in which Lt. Commander Data, an android, sifts through multiple streams of audio and video files. And Rob Haitani, the designer of the Palm Pilot’s operating system, has said that the bridge on the Enterprise influenced its interface.

In my research, I also discovered that the show’s Holodeck – a room that could simulate any environment – influenced both the name and the development of Microsoft’s HoloLens augmented reality glasses.

From ALICE to ‘Her’

Which brings us back to OpenAI and “Her.”

In the movie, the protagonist, Theodore, played by Joaquin Phoenix, acquires an AI assistant, “Samantha,” voiced by Johansson. He begins to develop feelings for Samantha – so much so that he starts to consider her his girlfriend.

ChatGPT-4o, the latest version of the generative AI software, seems to be able to cultivate a similar relationship between user and machine. Not only can ChatGPT-4o speak to you and “understand” you, but it can also do so sympathetically, as a romantic partner would.

There’s little doubt that the depiction of AI in “Her” influenced OpenAI’s developers. In addition to Altman’s tweet, the company’s promotional videos for ChatGPT-4o feature a chatbot speaking with a job candidate before his interview, propping him up and encouraging him – as, well, an AI girlfriend would. The AI featured in the clips, Ars Technica observed, was “disarmingly lifelike,” and willing “to laugh at your jokes and your dumb hat.”

But you might be surprised to learn that a previous generation of chatbots inspired Spike Jonze, the director and screenwriter of “Her,” to write the screenplay in the first place. Nearly a decade before the film’s release, Jonze had interacted with a version of the ALICE chatbot, which was one of the first chatbots to have a defined personality – in ALICE’s case, that of a young woman.

The ALICE chatbot won the Loebner Prize three times, which was awarded annually until 2019 to the AI software that came closest to passing the Turing Test, long seen as a threshold for determining whether artificial intelligence has become indistinguishable from human intelligence.

The sci-fi feedback loop has no expiration date. AI’s ability to form relationships with humans is a theme that continues to be explored in fiction and real life.

A few years after “Her,” “Blade Runner 2049” featured a virtual girlfriend, Joi, with a holographic body. Well before the latest drama with OpenAI, companies had started developing and pitching virtual girlfriends, a process that will no doubt continue. As science fiction writer and social media critic Cory Doctorow wrote in 2017, “Science fiction does something better than predict the future: It influences it.”

[mobileappdevs3]

Top Reasons to Choose a Mobile App Development Company for Your Business Growth

Building a mobile app for your business isn't just a trend anymore—it's a necessity. Whether you're running a small startup or managing a growing enterprise, mobile apps have become a powerful way to connect with customers, streamline processes, and scale your business. Today, I want to share why working with a mobile app development company could be the smartest investment you make this year.

Why Mobile Apps Matter for Your Business

As someone who loves exploring the world of technology, I can confidently say that mobile apps are no longer a luxury—they’re a necessity. They help businesses connect with customers, streamline operations, and even generate revenue. Here's why:

Accessibility: Mobile apps give your customers 24/7 access to your products or services.

Enhanced User Experience: Custom apps offer intuitive interfaces and personalized experiences.

Increased Brand Visibility: Your app sits in your customers’ pockets, ensuring constant brand engagement.

Why Choose a Mobile App Development Company?

1. Expertise in Custom Application Development

Creating a mobile app isn’t just about coding; it’s about crafting an experience tailored to your business goals. A custom application development team specializes in designing apps that cater to your unique needs, whether you’re targeting iOS, Android, or both.

2. Cost-Effective Solutions

A professional mobile app development company in India can provide top-notch mobile app development services at a fraction of the cost compared to other regions. India has become a hub for custom application development thanks to its talented developers and competitive pricing.

3. End-to-End Support

From brainstorming app ideas to launching your app on the App Store or Google Play, companies like Mobulous Technologies, a top mobile app development company India, offer comprehensive support. Their services often include:

UI/UX design

App development

Quality assurance testing

Post-launch support and updates

4. Expertise in iOS and Android App Development

Whether you're targeting Apple users or the broader Android audience, partnering with an iOS app development company or an Android app development company ensures your app runs seamlessly across platforms.

Also Read: Top Reasons Why Businesses Choose Custom Mobile App Development

Why Mobulous Technologies Stands Out

When it comes to finding the best mobile app development company, I’ve found that Mobulous Technologies is a name that consistently stands out. Here’s what makes them special:

Top Mobile App Development Company: Recognized globally for delivering innovative apps.

Custom Application Development: Tailor-made solutions designed to suit your business needs.

Comprehensive Services in India: Offering mobile app development services in India that cover every stage of the development cycle.

How a Mobile App Development Company Drives Business Growth

Choosing the right mobile app development company is like finding the perfect business partner. Here’s how they contribute to your growth:

Faster Time-to-Market: Their experience helps you launch your app quickly.

High-Quality Development: With experts in custom application development, your app is built to perform.

Scalability: They ensure your app can grow with your business.

FAQs

Q:1. How do I choose the right mobile app development company?

Look for a company with a strong portfolio, positive client reviews, and expertise in both iOS app development and Android app development.

Q:2. Why should I consider an Indian mobile app development company?

India is home to some of the best mobile app development companies, offering high-quality services at competitive prices.

Q:3. What makes Mobulous Technologies a top choice?

Mobulous Technologies is a trusted name in the industry, known for its innovative solutions, expert developers, and commitment to client satisfaction.

Q:4. How long does it take to develop a mobile app?

The timeline depends on the complexity of the app, features required, and platform. Generally, a simple app takes 3–6 months, while more complex apps may take longer.

Q:5. What is custom application development, and why is it important?

Custom application development refers to building apps tailored to a business’s specific needs. It ensures your app aligns with your brand and meets your unique goals.

Q:6. Can a mobile app development company help with app marketing?

Yes! Many companies, including Mobulous Technologies, offer marketing support to help you promote your app effectively and reach your target audience.

Q:7. How do mobile apps enhance user engagement?

Mobile apps provide personalized experiences, push notifications, and direct access to services, keeping users engaged and boosting customer loyalty.

Q:8. Should I develop my app for iPhone, Android, or both?

It depends on your target audience. An iphone app development company can help you target Apple users, while an Android app development company is perfect for reaching a broader audience. Many businesses choose to develop for both platforms.

Q:9. Are mobile apps scalable for future growth?

Yes, when developed by a professional mobile app development company, apps can be designed with scalability in mind, allowing your business to grow without limitations.

Q:10. What are the costs associated with mobile app development?

The cost varies based on app complexity, design, features, and platforms. Indian companies like Mobulous Technologies are known for providing cost-effective yet high-quality solutions.

Q:11. Do mobile app development companies offer post-launch support?

Yes, most top companies, such as Mobulous Technologies, provide ongoing maintenance, updates, and support to ensure your app runs smoothly after launch.

Q:12. What technologies are commonly used in mobile app development?

Companies use various technologies like Swift for iOS, Kotlin for Android, React Native, and Flutter for cross-platform apps. Discuss your requirements with your development team for the best choice.

Final Thoughts

In a world where mobile apps drive customer engagement and business success, partnering with the right mobile app development company is crucial. Whether you need custom application development or a trusted partner for mobile app development services in India, companies like Mobulous Technologies can help turn your ideas into reality.

[unpluggedfinancial]

The Year of Bitcoin: Why 2025 Could Be a Turning Point

The start of 2025 has set the stage for what may be Bitcoin’s most transformative year yet. The events of 2024, from significant corporate acquisitions to milestones in adoption, have positioned Bitcoin as a central player in the evolving financial landscape. With growing economic instability, technological advancements, and shifting narratives, Bitcoin is poised to reach new heights in both relevance and adoption.

Setting the Stage

In 2024, Bitcoin witnessed several pivotal moments. Institutional interest soared, adoption among individuals continued to grow, and countries started exploring Bitcoin as a hedge against economic uncertainty. As we enter 2025, the momentum is unmistakable. Bitcoin is no longer merely a speculative asset—it is becoming a cornerstone of financial innovation and security.

The Macro Environment

The global economy is in a state of flux. Rising inflation and growing distrust in fiat currencies have left governments and central banks scrambling for solutions. In this environment, Bitcoin’s fixed supply and decentralized nature offer a stark contrast to the instability of traditional systems. As more people recognize its value as a store of wealth, Bitcoin’s role in the global financial system is expanding.

Adoption Trends: A Billion-Dollar Vote of Confidence

December 2024 was a monumental month for corporate Bitcoin adoption. In just the first 10 days, U.S. companies invested a staggering $3.26 billion into Bitcoin.

MicroStrategy, the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, acquired 21,550 BTC worth $2.1 billion, bringing its total holdings to 423,650 BTC valued at $25.6 billion.

Marathon Digital, a leading Bitcoin mining firm, added 11,774 BTC for around $1.1 billion, boosting its total to 40,435 BTC worth $3.9 billion.

Riot Platforms, a Bitcoin infrastructure company, acquired 705 BTC worth $68.45 million.

These investments underscore the confidence U.S. companies have in Bitcoin as a long-term store of value. They also signal a broader shift in institutional attitudes toward Bitcoin as an essential financial asset.

A Historic Milestone: Bitcoin Enters the Nasdaq-100

In another major development, MicroStrategy joined the Nasdaq-100 Index on December 23, 2024, standing alongside titans like Apple, Microsoft, and Tesla. This milestone not only highlights MicroStrategy’s success but also validates Bitcoin’s integration into traditional financial systems.

Founded over 30 years ago as an enterprise software company, MicroStrategy transitioned into a Bitcoin powerhouse under the leadership of Executive Chairman Michael Saylor. Since 2020, the company has amassed over 423,000 BTC worth $42 billion, becoming the largest corporate holder of the scarce digital asset. Its inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 symbolizes Bitcoin’s growing credibility and mainstream acceptance.

The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve

In a groundbreaking move, the incoming Trump administration has announced plans to create a strategic Bitcoin reserve. This initiative aims to position the United States as a leader in the digital asset space while safeguarding its financial future. By holding Bitcoin as a reserve asset, the government signals its confidence in Bitcoin’s long-term value and utility. Such a policy could set a precedent for other nations, accelerating global adoption and further solidifying Bitcoin’s status as a global store of value.

Technological Advancements

Bitcoin’s infrastructure continues to evolve. The Lightning Network, which facilitates instant and low-cost Bitcoin transactions, is gaining widespread adoption, enabling new use cases like micropayments and decentralized financial services. Upgrades like Taproot and innovations in Ordinals have also enhanced Bitcoin’s privacy, scalability, and functionality. These advancements are transforming Bitcoin from a simple store of value to a versatile tool for global commerce.

The Narrative Shift

Bitcoin’s narrative is evolving. Once seen primarily as a speculative investment, it is now recognized as a tool for financial sovereignty and inclusion. Younger generations, who grew up in an era of financial crises and technological disruption, are driving this shift. For them, Bitcoin represents not just an asset but a movement—a way to opt out of traditional systems and build a fairer, more transparent financial future.

Challenges to Watch

Despite its progress, Bitcoin faces significant challenges. Regulatory uncertainty remains a critical hurdle, with governments worldwide grappling with how to classify and regulate Bitcoin. Competing narratives, such as the rise of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), also pose a threat. Additionally, the debate over Bitcoin’s energy consumption continues, though proponents argue that it’s driving innovation in renewable energy.

Why 2025 Could Be the Year of Bitcoin

As we look ahead, it’s clear that 2025 holds immense potential for Bitcoin. With institutional adoption accelerating, technological innovations reshaping its utility, and the macroeconomic landscape driving demand, Bitcoin is on the brink of a new era.

For individuals and institutions alike, the message is clear: stay informed, get involved, and embrace Bitcoin as a cornerstone of the future financial system. The revolution is underway, and 2025 could be the year Bitcoin proves it is here to stay.

Take Action Towards Financial Independence

If this article has sparked your interest in the transformative potential of Bitcoin, there's so much more to explore! Dive deeper into the world of financial independence and revolutionize your understanding of money by following my blog and subscribing to my YouTube channel.

🌐 Blog: Unplugged Financial Blog Stay updated with insightful articles, detailed analyses, and practical advice on navigating the evolving financial landscape. Learn about the history of money, the flaws in our current financial systems, and how Bitcoin can offer a path to a more secure and independent financial future.

📺 YouTube Channel: Unplugged Financial Subscribe to our YouTube channel for engaging video content that breaks down complex financial topics into easy-to-understand segments. From in-depth discussions on monetary policies to the latest trends in cryptocurrency, our videos will equip you with the knowledge you need to make informed financial decisions.

👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content. Whether you're a seasoned investor, a curious newcomer, or someone concerned about the future of your financial health, our community is here to support you on your journey to financial independence.

Support the Cause

If you enjoyed what you read and believe in the mission of spreading awareness about Bitcoin, I would greatly appreciate your support. Every little bit helps keep the content going and allows me to continue educating others about the future of finance.

Donate Bitcoin: bc1qpn98s4gtlvy686jne0sr8ccvfaxz646kk2tl8lu38zz4dvyyvflqgddylk

[jcmarchi]

Meta joins Apple in withholding AI models from EU users

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/meta-joins-apple-in-withholding-ai-models-from-eu-users/

Meta joins Apple in withholding AI models from EU users

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Meta has announced it will not be launching its upcoming multimodal AI model in the European Union due to regulatory concerns.

This decision from Meta comes on the heels of Apple’s similar move to exclude the EU from its Apple Intelligence rollout, signalling a growing trend of tech giants hesitating to introduce advanced AI technologies in the region.

Meta’s latest multimodal AI model – capable of handling video, audio, images, and text – was set to be released under an open license. However, Meta’s decision will prevent European companies from utilising this technology, potentially putting them at a disadvantage in the global AI race.

“We will release a multimodal Llama model over the coming months, but not in the EU due to the unpredictable nature of the European regulatory environment,” a Meta spokesperson stated.

A text-only version of Meta’s Llama 3 model is still expected to launch in the EU.

Meta’s announcement comes just days after the EU finalised compliance deadlines for its new AI Act. Tech companies operating in the EU will have until August 2026 to comply with rules surrounding copyright, transparency, and specific AI applications like predictive policing.

The withholding of these advanced AI models from the EU market creates a challenging situation for companies outside the region. Those hoping to provide products and services utilising these models will be unable to offer them in one of the world’s largest economic markets.

Meta plans to integrate its multimodal AI models into products like the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. According to Axios, the company’s EU exclusion will extend to future multimodal AI model releases as well.

As more tech giants potentially follow suit, the EU may face challenges in maintaining its position as a leader in technological innovation while balancing concerns about AI’s societal impacts.

(Photo by engin akyurt)

See also: AI could unleash £119 billion in UK productivity

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.

Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.

Tags: ai, ai act, apple, artificial intelligence, eu, europe, european union, meta, regulation

[dpfocu]

OpenAI’s 12 Days of “Shipmas”: Summary and Reflections

Over 12 days, from December 5 to December 16, OpenAI hosted its “12 Days of Shipmas” event, revealing a series of innovations and updates across its AI ecosystem. Here’s a summary of the key announcements and their implications:

Day 1: Full Launch of o1 Model and ChatGPT Pro

OpenAI officially launched the o1 model in its full version, offering significant improvements in accuracy (34% fewer errors) and performance. The introduction of ChatGPT Pro, priced at $200/month, gives users access to these advanced features without usage caps.

Commentary: The Pro tier targets professionals who rely heavily on AI for business-critical tasks, though the price point might limit access for smaller enterprises.

Day 2: Reinforced Fine-Tuning

OpenAI showcased its reinforced fine-tuning technique, leveraging user feedback to improve model precision. This approach promises enhanced adaptability to specific user needs.

Day 3: Sora - Text-to-Video

Sora, OpenAI’s text-to-video generator, debuted as a tool for creators. Users can input textual descriptions to generate videos, opening new doors in multimedia content production.

Commentary: While innovative, Sora’s real-world application hinges on its ability to handle complex scenes effectively.

Day 4: Canvas - Enhanced Writing and Coding Tool

Canvas emerged as an all-in-one environment for coding and content creation, offering superior editing and code-generation capabilities.

Day 5: Deep Integration with Apple Ecosystem

OpenAI announced seamless integration with Apple’s ecosystem, enhancing accessibility and user experience for iOS/macOS users.

Day 6: Improved Voice and Vision Features

Enhanced voice recognition and visual processing capabilities were unveiled, making AI interactions more intuitive and efficient.

Day 7: Projects Feature

The new “Projects” feature allows users to manage AI-powered initiatives collaboratively, streamlining workflows.

Day 8: ChatGPT with Built-in Search

Search functionality within ChatGPT enables real-time access to the latest web information, enriching its knowledge base.

Day 9: Voice Calling with ChatGPT

Voice capabilities now allow users to interact with ChatGPT via phone, providing a conversational edge to AI usage.

Day 10: WhatsApp Integration

ChatGPT’s integration with WhatsApp broadens its accessibility, making AI assistance readily available on one of the most popular messaging platforms.

Day 11: Release of o3 Model

OpenAI launched the o3 model, featuring groundbreaking reasoning capabilities. It excels in areas such as mathematics, coding, and physics, sometimes outperforming human experts.

Commentary: This leap in reasoning could redefine problem-solving across industries, though ethical and operational concerns about dependency on AI remain.

Day 12: Wrap-Up and Future Vision

The final day summarized achievements and hinted at OpenAI’s roadmap, emphasizing the dual goals of refining user experience and expanding market reach.

Reflections

OpenAI’s 12-day spree showcased impressive advancements, from multimodal AI capabilities to practical integrations. However, challenges remain. High subscription costs and potential data privacy concerns could limit adoption, especially among individual users and smaller businesses.

Additionally, as the competition in AI shifts from technical superiority to holistic user experience and ecosystem integration, OpenAI must navigate a crowded field where user satisfaction and practical usability are critical for sustained growth.

Final Thoughts: OpenAI has demonstrated its commitment to innovation, but the journey ahead will require balancing cutting-edge technology with user-centric strategies. The next phase will likely focus on scalability, affordability, and real-world problem-solving to maintain its leadership in AI.

What are your thoughts on OpenAI’s recent developments? Share in the comments!

[aromantictendi]

Star Trek TOS Rewatch: The Apple

This one feels like a rehash of Return of the Archons with a society that's controlled by a powerful machine and stagnating. Also like RotA, this episode felt half-baked, and might have been better if they'd taken the time to develop the story more.

Easily the most interesting part of this episode is the debate over whether it's right to interfere with the Feeders of Vaal, but I feel like having Vaal force Kirk's hand by putting the Enterprise in danger took the teeth out of it.

That said there were still a lot of parts I liked, including:

The colourful sets and props

The Garden of Eden was just outside Moscow!

Yeoman Landon getting to kick some butt

The Feeders of Vaal learning to kill. "It is a simple thing." *smashes melon*

Exploding rocks and poison gun flowers

Leonard Nimoy making some good acting choices when Spock is shot by the flower

[sarkariresultdude]

Stanford University A Pillar of Excellence

 Stanford University, located in the heart of Silicon Valley, California, is synonymous with instructional excellence, groundbreaking studies, and international impact. As one of the world’s leading establishments, its "outcomes" span various dimensions—instructional achievements, research breakthroughs, societal contributions, and pupil effects. This article delves into the multifaceted outcomes that outline Stanford's unprecedented popularity.

Stanford University Result 

Academic Achievements

Stanford continually ranks among the pinnacle universities globally. In the latest rankings with the aid of institutions like QS World University Rankings and Times Higher Education (THE), Stanford has secured pinnacle positions for its academic excellence, innovation, and studies contributions. Notably, Stanford excels in fields such as pc technological know-how, engineering, commercial enterprise, law, and remedy. These results testify to the university’s dedication to fostering highbrow growth and pushing the boundaries of understanding.

Notable Programs

Graduate School of Business: Stanford GSB is renowned for generating leaders in international industries. MBA graduates constantly file for excessive starting salaries and professional delight, reflecting the college’s rigorous curriculum and strong alumni community.

School of Engineering: Often taken into consideration as the backbone of Silicon Valley, Stanford’s engineering programs make contributions notably to technological advancements. Fields like artificial intelligence, bioengineering, and sustainable electricity are key focus areas.

School of Medicine: Stanford Medicine is diagnosed for its modern studies and healthcare innovations, such as contributions to cancer remedies, genomics, and vaccine development.

Results in Rankings

QS Rankings 2024: Stanford is ranked #three globally, highlighting its studies output, educational effect, and agency popularity.

THE Impact Rankings: Stanford ranks the various pinnacle 10 universities for its contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including great schooling, climate movement, and enterprise innovation.

 Research Breakthroughs

Stanford’s reputation as a studies powerhouse is unrivaled. Every 12 months, the university secures billions in study funding from government agencies, private corporations, and philanthropic donors. The effects of this investment take place in improvements that shape industries and enhance lives.

Key Areas of Impact

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning: Stanford researchers have pioneered AI technologies that affect sectors like healthcare, finance, and self-sufficient systems.

Biotechnology: Discoveries in gene modifying, CRISPR generation, and customized remedy underscore Stanford’s role in advancing lifestyles sciences.

Climate and Sustainability: The college’s Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability drives studies in renewable electricity, climate alternate mitigation, and conservation efforts.

Metrics of Success

Research Funding: In 2023, Stanford acquired over $1.Ninety-three billion in subsidized studies investment.

Publications and Citations: Stanford scholars post drastically in high-impact journals, with research mentioned hundreds of thousands of times globally.

Nobel Laureates: Over 20 faculty individuals and alumni have been awarded Nobel Prizes, reflecting the groundbreaking nature of their work.

 Entrepreneurial Success

Stanford's entrepreneurial atmosphere is considered one of its maximum amazing outcomes. As the birthplace of companies like Google, Apple, and Tesla, the university fosters a spirit of innovation that extends a long way beyond its campus. Programs just like the Stanford Entrepreneurship Network and access to resources in Silicon Valley offer students and schools unheard-of opportunities to release ventures.

Entrepreneurial Metrics

Startups Founded by Way of Alumni: Over 39,000 agencies had been started out by using Stanford alumni, generating trillions in annual revenue.

Venture Capital Funding: Stanford-affiliated startups entice sizable assignment capital investments, with the college constantly rating as a pinnacle manufacturer of funded marketers.

Economic Impact: Companies founded by Stanford graduates collectively hire hundreds of thousands of human beings internationally, making widespread contributions to the global economy.

Student Success and Satisfaction

The results of Stanford’s educational philosophy are glaring within the achievements of its students and alumni. The college offers a rigorous yet supportive environment that encourages creativity, critical questioning, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Key Outcomes

Graduation Rates: Stanford boasts a 94% graduation rate, one of the maximum amongst U.S. Universities.

Post-Graduation Employment: A marvelous 91% of graduates steady employment or pursue advanced studies within six months of commencement.

Alumni Impact: Stanford alumni encompass Fortune 500 CEOs, influential policymakers, award-triumphing artists, and leaders in nonprofit sectors.

Enhancing Student Experience

Diversity and Inclusion: Stanford is devoted to constructing a various scholar body, with over 45% of college students figuring out as minorities.

Scholarships and Financial Aid: The college offers a need-primarily based resource to over 70% of students, ensuring get right of entry schooling for talented individuals no matter their economic historical past.

Global Opportunities: Programs just like the Bing Overseas Studies Program permit students to gain global exposure, getting ready them for international careers.

Contributions to Society

Stanford’s impact extends beyond academia and enterprise; its results resonate globally via tasks aimed at addressing societal challenges.

Social and Environmental Impact

Sustainability Efforts: Stanford’s campus is a model of sustainable layout, presenting initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, conserve water, and sell green power.

Public Policy Influence: Stanford’s Hoover Institution and Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies produce studies that shape public policy on problems like cybersecurity, global health, and governance.

Community Engagement: Through carrier-learning programs and volunteer tasks, Stanford college students contribute lots of hours annually to local and worldwide groups.

Measuring Broader Impact

SDG Contributions: Stanford ranks exceedingly in metrics related to health, training, and innovation, reflecting its alignment with global desires.

Partnerships and Collaborations: The university collaborates with companies like the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN), and main nonprofits to cope with urgent international demands.

 Challenges and Areas for Growth

While Stanford’s results are overwhelmingly wonderful, the university acknowledges demanding situations and areas for improvement. These include:

Affordability and Accessibility: Despite its beneficent economic aid packages, Stanford faces complaints for its excessive training charges.

Mental Health Resources: As with many elite establishments, the pressures of educational existence can affect scholar well-being, prompting calls for more desirable support offerings.

Sustainability Goals: While Stanford leads in sustainability, reaching carbon neutrality via 2050 stays a protracted-time period venture.