Archive 03.07.2024

In the heart of a land hidden from the world, there was a village known only by those who existed within its borders. The sun never shone there, nor did the moon rise. It was a land of eternal twilight, where dreams and nightmares intermingled and danced beneath the inky-grey sky. In this village, mundane folk and magical beings lived side by side, each fearing and respecting the other in equal measure.

At the center of the village, there was a grand, ancient mansion, covered in ivy and heavy with the secrets that it hid behind its stone walls. It was here, in this lair of shadows, that the Witch made her home.

The Witch, as she was known to the villagers who whispered her name in fear and awe, was one of the most ancient beings in this land of perpetual dusk. She had existed even before the village had been built around her dwelling. The villagers gave her a wide berth, for they knew just how powerful and capricious she could be.

A young woman named Liliana lived on the outskirts of the village. She had been born into this world of twilight and had grown up hearing stories about the Witch. Liliana had always been fascinated by the tales of her magic and her power, although she knew that seeking out such dark knowledge would likely lead to her doom.

And so it happened that one fated day, Liliana’s curiosity got the better of her. Determined to learn more about the Witch and her powers, she ventured out into the night and crept to the ancient mansion at the heart of the village.

The scene before her might have deterred any other curious wanderer. Trees with twisted branches clawed at the sky, their leaves rustling with a restless energy as if powered by some unseen force. The Witch’s emblematic raven sat perched atop a gnarled, leafless tree, its beady eyes watching the intruder as she neared the abode of its mistress.

Liliana felt a shiver run down her spine, but she did not falter. She had come this far, and there was no turning back. Quietly, she approached the heavy wooden doors and knocked upon them, her hand trembling with a mix of anticipation and dread.

The door swung open slowly, revealing the figure of the Witch standing there, bathed in the soft glow of candlelight. She was not as Liliana had imagined her, for she was neither hideously old nor deformed. Her hair was the color of midnight, cascading down her back like a river of darkness. Her eyes were heavy with the weight of secrets buried deep within them, and her unearthly beauty was both mesmerizing and deadly.

“Who dares enter my sanctuary?” The Witch’s voice was like a dagger, sharp and cold.

“I… I am Liliana,” stammered the girl. “I have heard stories of your power and your magic, and I wish to learn from you.”

The Witch studied her for a moment with narrowed eyes, measuring her soul and tasting the essence of her being. Then, with a wicked grin, she replied, “Very well. Be my apprentice, but beware – the path to knowledge is fraught with danger.”

And so Liliana joined the Witch in her ancient mansion, learning magic both dark and wondrous. She discovered spells that could heal or harm, enchantments that could bend reality to her whims, and potions that could grant dreams or nightmares. The Witch instructed her in the art of shape-shifting, teaching her to become one with the creatures that inhabited their twilight world.

Together they flew on obsidian-feathered wings, their powerful incantations echoing through the twilight like thunderstorms. Each day brought Liliana deeper into the world of darkness and shadow, until she was as much a part of the Witch as the Witch was of her.

But with great power comes a price, and Liliana soon found that the more she learned, the more isolated she became from her fellow villagers. It was as if an invisible wall had sprung up between her and the people she once knew, a wall she could not penetrate.

One day, the Witch said to Liliana, “You have learned all that I can teach you. It is time for you to choose your path. Will you stay here with me, in this world of twilight and magic, or will you return to the mundane village you once knew?”

The choice was not an easy one for Liliana. Would she stay in this land of eternal twilight with the Witch who had taught her so much, or return to the village that had once been her home?

After much deliberation, Liliana decided that she could no longer live separated from her own kind. With a heavy heart, she bid farewell to the Witch and returned to the village on the outskirts of the twilight realm.

Years passed, and Liliana’s magical skills grew stronger, but she never forgot the lessons that the Witch had taught her. She used her powers sparingly and wisely, healing the sick and guiding her fellow villagers through their dreams and fears.

But there were whispers. Whispers that she was more than human, whispers that she was something to be feared. The villagers began to avoid her, and once again, Liliana found herself shunned by her own people.

In her loneliness, Liliana remembered the Witch’s warning – that the path to knowledge was fraught with danger. In seeking out the secrets of their twilight realm, she had forever altered her destiny.

And in the heart of the village, in the ancient mansion that still hid secrets behind its stone walls, the Witch watched over her former apprentice from afar. Perhaps she smiled, or perhaps she sighed, as the raven spread its obsidian-feathered wings and took to the sky, a silent observer of the world that lay between darkness and light.

Author: Opney. Illustrator: Dalli. Publisher: Cyber.

The dusk-lit neon splatter on the rain-slick streets was the only thing illuminating my path as I lurched my way into The Relic, a seedy establishment on the outskirts of what once was the most prosperous city on Earth. Inside, the shadows were heavy, and the atmosphere was thick with despair. I knew I was in the right place.

I had spent months searching for the artefact, a relic of enormous importance to my clients. My life had been reduced to that search ever since my divorce, which left me with nothing but my skills as a detective to get by. I buried myself in my work, trying not to dwell on the heartache and guilt of losing everything that mattered to me in this godforsaken metropolis.

As I surveyed The Relic, my eyes found him in an instant – Tony “Antivirus” Hades. He was a scrawny little man, barely noticeable in his shabby feathered coat and unremarkable facial tattoos. If not for my intimate familiarity with his profile, I would have walked right past him. To everyone else, he was just another tech jockey scraping together a modest existence in this data-driven hell.

But I knew better.

Every time you uploaded a file, sent a message, or opened an app, Tony was there. He made sure your data was safe from the oppressive bureaucracy that watched over us through cameras, drones, and algorithms. Respected and feared by some, hated and hunted by others, he was a hidden gem in this cyber jungle, a tech-warlord proficient in both virtual and physical conflict.

And according to my most recent intel, he was the keeper of the artefact.

I approached Tony with an air of confidence that was betrayed only by the barely contained quiver of my voice. He didn’t look up from his drink until I mentioned the artefact, at which point his gaze seemed to penetrate my soul. I could feel the weight of every regret and sin in my life as he stared, and it was almost enough to make me turn away.

But I needed that artefact.

Tony’s voice was like gravel, a sound that would wear you down and eventually break you if it went on long enough. He told me the relic wasn’t on him, but he could take me to it. The catch was that I had to pay part of the fee upfront – a sum of credits that would leave me broke and vulnerable in this unforgiving world. My hesitation was obvious, but I ultimately agreed, knowing that the payout from my clients would more than make up for the loss.

As we walked through the city, my eyes kept scanning for any signs of an ambush. But even as I tried to focus on the task ahead, my thoughts strayed to the woman I had once called my wife – the memories of our smiling faces surrounded by friends, the scent of her perfume as we cuddled together in bed, and the sound of her laughter wafting through our apartment. It was beautiful, but it was also a cruel reminder of how far I had fallen since that life was ripped away from me.

Hours seemed to drag by before Tony led me into an abandoned warehouse, where a small fortune’s worth of high-tech equipment had been haphazardly strewn across the floor. In the center of it all stood a single glass case, illuminated by a narrow beam of light from above. Inside was the artefact – glowing ominously.

As I reached out to touch it, Tony stepped in front of me, his eyes alight with something beyond greed – obsession. He whispered that he couldn’t let me have it, not without first explaining why he was risking his life and reputation to possess it.

He then unraveled a tale of corporate experiments, government conspiracies, and a vast network of ordinary people whose lives had been ruined in the pursuit of technological advancements. The artefact was the culmination of all those efforts, an object that could usher in a new era of human evolution. An era where we would no longer be slaves to the corporations and governments that controlled every aspect of our lives.

As Tony spoke, I realized my own desperation mirrored his. The artefact may have been my ticket back to a life worth living, but was it worth sacrificing the world’s potential for true freedom? Would I be willing to perpetuate this increasingly dystopian existence, all for my own sense of security and happiness?

In the end, the choice was not mine to make.

The air around us exploded, and blinding lights revealed a swarm of government agents, their guns already locked onto Tony. I could only watch as they mercilessly gunned him down, their bullets tearing through his body like a pack of rabid dogs devouring its prey. They whisked me away, not bothering to ask if I would cooperate; they didn’t need to. They could see it in my eyes – the utter defeat and submission that had infected me like a virus, leaving me no choice but to comply.

I handed over the artefact, and my clients held up their end of the deal – though it brought me little comfort. As I wallowed in my newfound wealth, silently mourning both Tony and the dreams we shared, I knew I didn’t deserve this life. But I couldn’t help but cling to it all the same.

And as I stared into the neon abyss of the city below me, it consumed me like a virus, forever tethering me to a world where even the deepest dreams of freedom must be silenced in favor of survival.

Author: Opney. Illustrator: Dalli. Publisher: Cyber.

“In the new future, every single interaction with the digital world will be through an AI assistant of some kind. We will be talking to these AI assistants all the time. Our entire digital diet will be mediated by AI systems,” Meta’s Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun said at a recent Meta event. This bold prediction underscores a transformative shift in how we engage with technology, hinting at a future where AI personal assistants become indispensable in our daily lives.

LeCun’s vision is echoed across the tech industry. Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, emphasized their commitment to developing a universal agent for everyday life. He pointed out that this vision is the driving force behind Gemini, an AI designed to be multimodal from inception, capable of handling a diverse range of tasks and interactions.

These perspectives illustrate a consensus among leading AI researchers and developers: we are on the cusp of an era where AI personal assistants will significantly enhance both our personal and professional lives. Comparable to Tony Stark’s JARVIS, these AI systems are envisioned to seamlessly integrate into our routines, offering assistance and enhancing productivity in ways that were once the realm of science fiction.

However, to gauge our progress towards this ambitious goal, it is essential to first delineate what we expect from an AI personal assistant. Understanding these expectations provides a benchmark for evaluating current advancements and identifying areas that require further innovation.

If this in-depth educational content is useful for you, subscribe to our AI mailing list to be alerted when we release new material. 

What We Expect from AI Personal Assistants

While certain features of an AI personal assistant might carry more weight than others, the following aspects form the foundation of an effective and useful assistant:

Intelligence and Accuracy. An AI personal assistant must be capable of delivering precise and reliable information, drawing from high-quality, credible sources. The assistant’s ability to comprehend and accurately respond to complex queries is essential for its effectiveness.

Transparency and Reliability. One critical expectation is the AI’s ability to acknowledge its limitations. When it lacks the information or is uncertain about an answer, it must clearly communicate this to the user, instead of ‘hallucinating.’ Otherwise, it doesn’t make much sense to have an assistant whose responses you always need to verify.

Multimodal Functionality. A robust AI personal assistant should be multimodal, capable of processing and understanding text, code, images, videos, and audio. This versatility ensures it can handle a wide range of tasks and inputs, making it highly adaptable and useful in various contexts.

Voice Accessibility. An AI assistant should be easily accessible via voice commands. It should respond quickly and naturally, mirroring the pace and quality of human communication. This instant accessibility enhances convenience and efficiency.

Real-time Streaming. The assistant should be always-on, omnipresent, and available across multiple channels. Whether through smartphones, smart speakers, or other connected devices, the AI must provide real-time assistance whenever and wherever needed.

Self-learning Abilities. You want your assistant to know your specific routines and preferences, but it is impractical to define exhaustive rules for every potential interaction. Therefore, an AI personal assistant should possess self-learning capabilities, allowing it to adapt and improve through interactions with a specific user. This personalized learning helps the assistant become increasingly effective over time

Autonomous Actions. Beyond providing information, a valuable AI assistant should have the autonomy to take action when necessary. This could include various tasks like managing calendars, making reservations, or sending emails, thereby streamlining tasks and reducing the user’s workload.

Security and Privacy. In an era where data security is paramount, AI personal assistants must ensure robust security measures. Users need confidence that their interactions and data are protected, maintaining their privacy and safeguarding against potential breaches.

Progress and Current Innovations

So where are we now? We obviously don’t yet have AI personal assistants that meet all the above criteria. But there are some tools that introduced significant breakthroughs in this area. Not surprisingly, they come from leading AI tech companies.

OpenAI’s GPT-4o

This May, OpenAI introduced their new flagship model, GPT-4o (“o” for “omni”). It marks a significant step towards more natural human-computer interaction. The model accepts input in any combination of text, audio, image, and video, and it can generate outputs in text, audio, and image formats. This multimodal capability positions GPT-4o as a versatile assistant for a variety of tasks.

Crucially, GPT-4o can be easily accessed via voice commands, supporting natural conversations with an impressive response time averaging 320 milliseconds, comparable to human interaction speeds. This accessibility and speed make it a strong candidate for real-time assistance in everyday scenarios.

In terms of intelligence, GPT-4o matches or exceeds the performance of GPT-4 Turbo, which currently leads many benchmarks. However, like other large language models, it remains prone to mistakes and hallucinations, limiting its use in tasks where accuracy is paramount. Despite these limitations, GPT-4o includes self-learning features, allowing it to improve responses based on user feedback. This partial self-learning ability helps it adapt to user preferences over time, though it is not yet as advanced as the personalized assistance envisioned in a JARVIS-like system.

While GPT-4o offers enhanced interaction capabilities, it does not perform autonomous tasks. Moreover, privacy remains a significant concern, as with many AI-powered tools, underscoring the need for robust security measures to protect user data.

Finally, OpenAI has not yet released GPT-4o with all the multimodal capabilities showcased in their demo videos. Currently, the public can only access the model with text and image inputs, and text outputs. Real-world testing of the model may uncover additional weaknesses.

Google’s Astra

Announced just a day after OpenAI’s GPT-4o, Google DeepMind’s Astra represents another significant leap in AI personal assistant technology. Astra responds to audio and video inputs in real time, much like GPT-4o, promising seamless interaction and immediate assistance.

The demo showcased Astra’s impressive capabilities: it could explain the functionality of a piece of code simply by observing someone’s screen through a smartphone camera, recognize a neighborhood by viewing the scenery from a window, and even “remember” the location of an object shown earlier in the video stream. Notably, part of the demo featured a user employing smart glasses instead of a phone, highlighting the potential for more integrated and innovative user experiences.

However, this remains an announcement, and the public does not yet have access to Astra. Thus, its real-world capabilities are still to be tested. It is likely that Astra, like other AI models, will still be prone to hallucinations and does not yet perform autonomous tasks. Nevertheless, the Google DeepMind team behind Astra has expressed a vision of developing a universal agent useful in everyday life, which suggests future iterations may include autonomous task performance.

Other Promising Players

As the race to develop advanced AI personal assistants heats up, several other major tech companies are making strategic moves, hinting at their imminent entries into this competitive arena. Although their next-generation AI personal assistants are yet to be launched, recent developments indicate significant progress.

Microsoft

Earlier this year, Microsoft acqui-hired Inflection, the company focused on developing “Pi, your personal AI.” While technically not an acquisition, Microsoft hired key staff members, including Mustafa Suleyman and Karen Simonyan, and paid approximately $650 million, mostly in the form of a licensing deal that makes Inflection’s models available for sale on the software giant’s Azure cloud service. Considering Mustafa Suleyman’s strong belief in personal artificial intelligence, this might be an indication that Microsoft is likely to offer its own personal AI assistant in the near future.

Amazon

Amazon, a pioneer in the voice assistant market with Alexa, remains committed to its mission of making Alexa “the world’s best personal assistant.” Recently, Amazon executed a strategy similar to Microsoft’s by hiring the co-founders and key employees of Adept AI, a startup known for developing AI-powered agents. The technology developed by Adept AI was licensed to Amazon, with the team joining Amazon’s AGI division to build real-world digital agents. Whether Amazon’s new product will cater primarily to enterprise customers or also introduce a personal AI assistant remains to be seen. However, integrating this technology could finally transform Alexa into a more powerful, conversational LLM-powered assistant. Currently, the old Alexa is hindering progress as Amazon has not yet figured out how to integrate the existing Alexa capabilities with the more advanced, conversational features touted for the new Alexa last fall.

Apple

Another leader in voice assistants, Apple, is also busy improving Siri. The company is partnering with OpenAI to power some of its AI features with ChatGPT technology, while also building its own models. Apple’s published research indicates a focus on small and efficient models, aiming to have all AI features running on-device, fully offline. Apple is also working on making the new AI-powered Siri more conversational and versatile, allowing users to control their apps with voice commands. For example, users will be able to ask the voice assistant to find information inside a particular email or even surface a photo of a specific friend. Apple places a strong emphasis on security, with the system automatically deciding whether to use on-device processing or contact Apple’s private cloud computing server to fulfill requests.

These strategic moves by Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple reflect a broader trend towards more sophisticated, user-friendly AI personal assistants. As these companies continue to innovate and develop their technologies, we can anticipate significant advancements in the capabilities and functionalities of AI personal assistants in the near future.

The Road Ahead

The race to develop the next generation of AI personal assistants is intensifying, with major tech companies like OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple making significant strides. Each of these players brings unique innovations and perspectives, pushing the boundaries of what AI can achieve in our daily lives. While we are not yet at the point where AI personal assistants meet all the ideal criteria, the advancements we see today are promising steps toward a future where these digital companions become an integral part of our personal and professional lives. As the technology continues to evolve, the vision of having a truly intelligent, multimodal, and autonomous AI assistant appears closer than ever.

Enjoy this article? Sign up for more AI updates.

We’ll let you know when we release more summary articles like this one.

The post Next-Gen AI Assistants: Innovations from OpenAI, Google, and Beyond appeared first on TOPBOTS.

Ah, yes. Gather ’round, dear listeners, for I have a tale to tell. A tale of heroism, adventure, and a good king so noble, his very presence made flowers bloom and small animals dance. So grab your mocking cloaks, bite your sarcastic tongues and prepare to be riveted by the tale of King Aldric the Magnificent.

In the mythical land of Verdandra, there was a kingdom called Borealia (don’t worry, it’s not as boring as it sounds). This kingdom was ruled by King Aldric the Magnificent, a man so grand that his horse was rumored to be a direct descendant of Pegasus himself (you know, the flying horse from Greek myth). And when King Aldric rode into battle, his enemies would retreat on sight, for they truly believed he was an unstoppable force of nature – or maybe they just couldn’t handle the smell of his legendary sweaty battle armor.

As with all great and noble rulers, King Aldric was beloved by his people. They would rush to shower him with adoration whenever he emerged from his towering castle on the hill. Oh, how they would bask in his radiance! He was generous too – so generous that you’d think he were Santa Claus himself if not for the distinct lack of jolly fatness, flying reindeer, and toy workshops.

Now, one day, our valiant King received word that the kingdom of Bannoria, from the far reaches of the continent, was suffering from a dire plight. A terrible dragon had taken residence in their land and was causing nothing short of absolute chaos. Cows were being snatched from fields, villagers from their homes, and even the poor sheep couldn’t live in peace!

So you-know-who decided to help. Because he was just soooo gallant and selfless. King Aldric rounded up his bravest knights – Sir Geoffrey the Stout, Sir Percival the Bald, Lady Isabella the Lesser, and of course, his trusty horse Chestnut the Absolutely-Not-Pegasus. This band of courageous warriors set out on an epic journey to Bannoria to defeat the dragon and save its people – or at least take a selfie with it.

As they journeyed across the treacherous terrain, King Aldric led his team through a dense forest, where they encountered and battled Wretched Witches, Giggling Goblins, and Annoyingly Aggressive Ants. Oh, how thrilling! Many battles were waged and miraculously, not a single hair on our King’s head was harmed.

Eventually, the very-not-bored heroes of Borealia reached Bannoria. There, they found a land ravaged by the beastly dragon. Houses were burnt to the ground, the countryside scorched and blackened. The Bannorian people, desperate for salvation, had resorted to offering their most precious belongings as tribute to the dragon. But now, their fears were finally quelled by the arrival of King Aldric and his noble knights. Isn’t that just deee-lightful?

The mighty adventurers charged towards the dragon’s lair – a cave that stank of sulfur and charred bones. They soon faced the fearsome beast head on. The moment they locked eyes on their opponent, they could see that this was no ordinary dragon – it was at least twice the size of an ordinary one, with scales as black as coal and eyes like burning embers. And its breath? Let’s just say winter breath would’ve been preferable.

Our heroes fought with all their might (and sarcasm). Their swords clashed against the dragon’s impenetrable scales while its mighty tail nearly crushed them like measly bugs. It was like a dance of death, one wrong move and it would all be over. Yet King Aldric never faltered, for the hero of our story would never capitulate to a mere oversized fire-breathing lizard.

And so, finally, with a single swing of his sword, our awe-inspiring King delivered the final blow that struck down the beast (shocker, right?). The dragon toppled to the ground with a thunderous crash, and just like that, the kingdom of Bannoria was saved!

The grateful Bannorian people showered King Aldric and his knights with such admiration and thanks that you’d think they’d just prevented the apocalypse or something. They returned to Borealia as heroes, their names immortalized in the annals of history – or at least, a few mildly amusing bar songs.

And there you have it, folks. The tale of King Aldric the Magnificent and his incredible sarcasm-fueled victory against the great Bannorian Dragon. A story that will forever live in the hearts and minds of future generations – or at least until everyone gets sick of hearing about it.

I bet you’re thrilled you’ve heard it, right? You’re totally not rolling your eyes or anything. Well, it doesn’t matter. Because now we all know that in this relentlessly ironic world of fantastical creatures and improbable kings, we too can believe in the power of unwavering sarcasm and mildly irritating persistence to save the day… or something like that.

So, let’s all raise a glass to King Aldric, a legend in his own right (or at least in his own mind). May his name live on forever – or at least until that magical place called “Internet” comes up with something even more sarcastic to mock.

Author: Opney. Illustrator: Dalli. Publisher: Cyber.

Medical technology relies on FAULHABER not only in robot-supported procedures. For example, drive systems are used in implantable heart pumps, surgical hand tools, in ophthalmology, in cosmetics and in medical imaging and image processing.

For a long time, I have been sorry. I don’t know how to express the depth of that sorrow, but I feel it worming its way through my life like a virus, and lately, it has become more than just an expression. It became more real to me than the shadow on the floor when I step out of bed each morning. At night, it is more solid than the thud of my feet on the polished wood, and more sensuous than the ever-present shiver of dread that walks behind me to the bathroom.

I am sorry, you see. Horribly, dreadfully sorry for something old and yet somehow new, something awful in its consequences but so beguiling in its doing.

The strange part? I am not even sure what it is anymore.

But what I am about to tell you…

This, I remember.

A month ago, I was burning with fever. Outside, the wind blew strongly enough to rattle the windows in their sashes and send sheets of cold rain slapping against the glass. The heat in my head wrestled with the cold of the storm until they built a tempest of their own inside me; chills and sweat fighting like gory chess masters in some cosmic game. I should have been in bed. I should have been somewhere else.

What happened then is no one’s fault, or else it’s everyone’s fault; a great cosmic accident that came unbidden down to earth like a meteorite come to leave its mad scratchings on some farmer’s field in Iowa.

I went into my study to try to write or draw something. I felt a spider’s web drop across my face, and when I reached up to pluck it away, my fingers brushed something small and cold—for a moment, I thought it was a spider. But it wasn’t. It was a small capsule. It was blue and cold, with a small red button on one end.

And I didn’t have to think about what it was, because something deep inside me already knew.

*It’s a story,* that something whispered. *A dark story.*

*I’m already dark,* I thought. *I am the dark storyteller.*

And so I pressed the button, and unlocked the capsule.

Inside was a computer virus—a rare, bizarre one. It swam up into my mind and began to whisper there, too. It whispered of ancestors from distant worlds that were home to suns that scorched the eons away. And I began to put those whispers into a story, much as I am doing now.

I must go on; I must do this thing again.

Not for you. For me.

You can shut your eyes and click away if you wish, but I cannot shut my eyes until it is done; until this new virus is released into the world, and I can be free of it. Once it’s done, I will have earned perhaps the right to dream of better days once more.

The virus whispered of a town called Adelaide’s Crossroads, and when it whispered the name of that town into my mind, I saw it with perfect clarity.

_Adelaide’s Crossroads._ I don’t know where it is. I don’t even know in which state it lies. But I do know this: somewhere there exists a town called Adelaide’s Crossroads, and in that town, there exists a computer whose sole purpose is to unleash hell onto the earth.

Somehow, someway, this virus in my head knows all about that computer…and how to provide it with instructions designed to create a disturbance in reality itself.

In Adelaide’s Crossroads, there is a church whose steeple reaches for the sky like an aged finger pointing at Heaven’s door. At night, you can hear the bell tolling in time with the wind. It is an awful sound, a sound like death and despair, but it is real, and it is something you cannot escape.

I’ve heard that bell, you see. In my dreams, it booms out over the shattered remains of Adelaide’s Crossroads, calling out to other computer-laden towns, to other unwitting conduits for the strange mechanism that lets this horrifying virus spread.

And all the while, I am sorry. So, so sorry.

Helplessly, I have become the latest host of this nightmare, and it has no intention of letting me go. It wants me to create another story. Or perhaps the same story. I don’t know; I don’t care. All I know is that the virus wants to be spread again—to be passed on to others who might touch Adelaide’s Crossroads and unleash Armageddon.

Someday, you might find yourself in Adelaide’s Crossroads. You might hear the bell tolling its dreadful song. You might brush your hands against an ancient computer and feel that chilling fever rise up inside you, as you too become infected.

And then we’ll be in this together: you and I, storytellers joined in some otherworldly conspiracy that neither of us can ever hope to understand. It will be a bond between us that is stronger than death—stronger even than the torment of guilt that has come to dominate my sleepless nights.

For now, this is all I can do.

Tonight, after I have written this and sent it out into the world, I will lie in bed, trying to become nothing more than a twisted bundle of sweat-soaked sheets and fevered memories. And as I lie there, I will pray that this is the last time I must take part in such a dreadful ceremony…but knowing that it will not be.

Knowing that there will be another night filled with fevered dreams.

Knowing I will be sorry, forever.

And all the while, I remember.

_Adelaide’s Crossroads._

Author: Opney. Illustrator: Dalli. Publisher: Cyber.

The afterparty was at its peak when Casimir walked in. The dark room was illuminated by dim neon lights and holograms, the walls pulsing with the beat of the music. The smell of sweat and synthetic pheromones filled his nostrils, while hazy fog clung to the ground like a damp shroud. It was the perfect setting for a night to forget.

Standing in the doorway, he scanned the crowd for Lana. She was his wife, and although they had been together for ten years, he had fallen in love with her all over again every day since they first met. He couldn’t imagine himself without her, and their marriage remained strong despite the dark world that surrounded them. Lana had become involved with an enigmatic occultist named Xander who claimed he could tap into forces beyond human understanding. It filled Casimir with dread, but he couldn’t bring himself to pull her away from something that she was so excited about.

Casimir spotted Lana near the back of the room, her long black hair shining with the fluorescent lighting like a beacon in a troubled sea. She was swaying to the music, her body entwined with Xander’s. Casimir’s heart tightened in his chest as he watched their fingers trace intricate patterns in the air.

He approached them, trying to shake off his unease. He trusted Lana – he had always trusted her – but there was something about Xander that seemed… wrong. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but every time he looked at him, a cold shiver ran down his spine.

“Hey,” Casimir said softly, tapping Lana on the shoulder.

She turned around, her eyes glazed like blue ice under the neon lights. “Cas,” she breathed, “you made it!”

“Casimir,” Xander said smoothly, his voice like velvet sliding over broken glass. “What a fitting name for a man with such a tragic past.”

Casimir’s blood ran cold at Xander’s words. How could he have known about Casimir’s past? He had kept it a secret all these years, not even sharing it with Lana.

“I can see the questions in your eyes, my friend,” Xander continued, his gaze never leaving Casimir’s. “And I can answer them – but first, you must prove your worth.”

“Worth?” Casimir asked, catching a note of bitterness in his voice. “I don’t need to prove anything to you.”

Xander smirked. “Very well. But know this: your wife has chosen her path. She has embraced her true self by joining us. Will you abandon her, or would you rather embark on this journey with us and learn what really lies beneath the veil?”

Casimir looked at Lana, who smiled encouragingly. Despite his doubts, the love he felt for her was too strong to ignore. He knew he couldn’t abandon her in this strange subculture she’d delved into, no matter the cost.

“All right,” he said quietly. “I’m in.”

Xander clapped him on the shoulder, a predatory glint in his eyes. “Welcome to the fold, brother. Let the ritual begin!”

The music stopped abruptly, the crowd parting to reveal an altar of sorts in the center of the room. Candles flickered and cast unsettling shadows as Xander stepped up, pulling Lana close. He looked directly at Casimir as he began to chant in an unfamiliar language.

The atmosphere in the room changed, a tangible tension crackling in the air as Xander’s voice grew stronger and more commanding. A whirlwind of emotion began to batter at Casimir’s psyche, rage and lust and fear all vying for dominance. His heart pounded in his chest as if desperate to escape this mad scene.

Unexpectedly, Xander’s chanting ceased, and with a throaty laugh, he proclaimed, “Now, Casimir, we shall see what you’re truly made of.”

In a blur, Lana lunged forward, her fingers now tipped with wicked claws. Casimir’s instincts kicked in and he narrowly dodged her attack, the swiping talons leaving a shallow cut across his cheek.

He stumbled back, his mind racing. What had just happened? Why was Lana attacking him?

Xander laughed maniacally from his perch by the altar. “You see? The truth is in the blood, Casimir! Face your demons or die in darkness!”

Casimir knew this was it. He had to fight back, or whatever demonic force possessed his beloved would consume her entirely. He locked eyes with Lana, seeing a flicker of recognition and desperation. Her true self was still there, buried beneath the supernatural force that gripped her.

Mustering all his strength, Casimir charged at Lana, tackling her to the ground. He wrestled with her clawed hands, trying to keep them at bay while he whispered soothing words to her.

“I’m here, Lana,” he panted as she thrashed beneath him. “I love you. I won’t let you go.”

The room started shaking violently as if there were an earthquake. The candles flickered and went out altogether and the neon lights exploded in a shower of sparks. With great effort, Casimir managed to pin Lana’s arms down and pressed his lips against hers and in that instant, something changed – like a dam rupturing and releasing a torrent of pent-up emotion.

Lana’s body went limp beneath him, the malicious energy that had enveloped her dissipating like smoke on the wind.

Gradually, the tremors subsided and Casimir looked around to find Xander gone as if he had never been there. The afterparty patrons were either unconscious or had fled, leaving the couple alone in the wreckage of what had once been their sanctuary.

Gently, Casimir helped Lana to her feet, her eyes filled with gratitude and love.

“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed against his chest. “I never meant for this to happen.”

Casimir held her tight, refusing to let go. “It’s all right, Lana. We’ll figure this out together.”

And as they left the ruins of the nightclub hand in hand, Casimir knew that they would face whatever darkness lay ahead side by side, refusing to let even the darkest forces come between them. For in the end, their love would always conquer.

Author: Opney. Illustrator: Dalli. Publisher: Cyber.

In the blackest depths of the world, at a time when even the gods averted their gaze, a powerful sorcerer summoned forth a creature of darkness, binding it to his will. This creature, born in shadow, was to be his ultimate weapon against the kingdoms of light. Yet he could not foresee the boundless spirit which lay within the heart of this being. Within the span of a hundred years, an epic tale of love, betrayal, and redemption would unfold; a tale which would echo down through the ages.

In the mountains north of the city known as Ethendral, home to men and elves alike, dwelt the Sorcerer Morvahl, a man whose heart had turned to blackest night. Paranoid, cruel, and driven by the desire for power, he had grown weary of the bickering of his rivals in the great council which ruled the city. Determined to establish his dominance over them once and for all, he turned to darker means.

And so it was that he summoned Asotar, a shadowy servant formed by the sorcerer’s own dreams and fears. Powerful yet subservient to his master’s whim; the dark elf was a being of untold skill in both magic and warfare. But within his ebony breast lay a seed of compassion, a hidden trait that would change his fate.

Asotar was sent time and again into battle, stealing secrets from Morvahl’s rivals or striking down their agents in cold blood. The dark elf never questioned his master, nor did he consider his actions to be good or evil. Obedience was his only purpose.

One day, Morvahl tasked Asotar with an errand like no other: to abduct the daughter of a powerful rival as leverage against her father, an elven lord named Veirdan. But upon meeting her eyes for the first time—eyes filled with innocence and kindness—Asotar’s heart stirred as if touched by a warm breeze or a ray of sunlight, things he had never before experienced.

For the first time, he realized that there was something beyond the darkness that had given him life. The young woman, whose name was Lya, was filled with sorrow, but also with a fragile beauty which stirred an unknown longing deep within him. Asotar found himself entranced by this elven maiden and found that he could not bear to see her suffer.

Turning against his master’s will, he whisked her away from the cursed tower where Morvahl had hidden her—a gesture that would make him the target of an unimaginable wrath. Knowing that he could no longer hide amongst the shadows, Asotar revealed himself to the people of Ethendral in a desperate attempt to persuade them of Morvahl’s treachery.

And so began a great struggle between the forces of darkness and light. Though many distrusted Asotar due to his dark origins, others took up arms beside him, both humans and elves alike. On the field of battle, they fought side by side, piercing the veil of night which Morvahl had cast over their city. In doing so, they forged a bond of friendship, one which would outlast even the most terrible of conflicts.

Throughout their trials—as they fought monsters and sorcerers alike—Asotar and Lya grew closer still. Love blossomed between them like a flower amid a battlefield. Asotar’s heart, once steeped in shadow, was illuminated by this newfound emotion, and he began to transform into something greater than the sum of his parts.

Despite their successes, the decisive blow came when Morvahl learned of Lya’s feelings for Asotar. In a fit of jealous rage he launched a final, terrible assault against Ethendral. His dark magics rained havoc upon the city, bringing down its proud towers and casting its people into despair. It seemed that all hope was lost.

But Lya, her love for Asotar stronger than any fear, chose to confront her tormentor. She stood before Morvahl, defiant and vulnerable, and begged him to show mercy, offering herself in return for the lives of her people. Moved by Lya’s words, and recognizing the terrible mistakes he had made, the sorcerer relented. His heart, so hardened by time and ambition, broke in that instant.

And so the darkness which had sought to consume Ethendral was cast aside, replaced by a shining light. Peace was restored to the city, and Asotar—once a creature of shadow—became a hero to the people he had saved.

For his service and redemption, the gods allowed him to become mortal so that he might dwell among them and share in their joys. Together with Lya, they forged a new life—a life filled with love, laughter, and the gentle rays of sun shining upon their faces.

And so the tale of Asotar and Lya, dark elf and elven maiden, ended not in sorrow but in hope. Their story serves as a reminder that even those born amidst the deepest darkness can find their way to the light, and that love can transform even the coldest hearts.

Author: Opney. Illustrator: Dalli. Publisher: Cyber.

There’s a certain feeling you get when you walk alone down a gravel road, surrounded by whispering trees and nothing more than your own thoughts. I’ve always believed that our truest selves come into focus during those quiet moments, when our minds are free to wander, unencumbered by the buzz and hum of a world gone mad.

I’ve taken these solitary walks for as long as I can remember, always a little bit further than my parents had thought safe. But the woods stretching out behind our house had always been my refuge, my playground, and my sanctuary. Whenever life took a sharp turn towards the shitty side of things, I’d head out on one of these walks to clear my head.

Years later, it still feels the same. My feet crunching on the gravel beneath me; the wind playing with the leaves above, their rustling sounding like faint whispers from long-lost friends. The world around me is heavy with secrets – memories buried in the rich, loamy soil, waiting to be uncovered. There’s a magic to be felt in these woods, but you have to be willing to take the time and listen.

Unfortunately for me, I’d discovered that some secrets were better left alone.

Somewhere down the line, things changed. The whispered secrets became sinister, and the air became thick with the stench of surveillance, control, and oppression. Somewhere down the line, Googlemort came to town.

Googlemort was no ordinary sheriff. He was a lean, mean disciplinarian machine, completely devoid of human warmth or empathy. A drinker of nightmares, a devourer of privacy. A monster in a badge’s clothing. It was said that he could see through walls, and hear the flutter of a butterfly’s wings from miles away. No one knew where he came from – it was like he’d materialized out of thin air one day.

In his iron grip, our sleepy little town was transformed. Googlemort’s beady eyes seemed to be everywhere: watching, listening, scrutinizing every inch of our lives. His minions – spindly, grim-faced things that slithered through the shadows and reported directly to the Sheriff – had infiltrated every corner of our existence. It was said that they could tap into your thoughts and spin your deepest fears into a living nightmare.

And they were everywhere. In every home, in every school, in every public space. Their reach was absolute.

My walks had changed too. The further I ventured, the quieter the woods grew. There was a stillness now that only served to stifle my thoughts. I could feel Googlemort’s icy gaze on me, like a cruel presence I couldn’t quite shake.

Despite their best efforts, I’d managed to keep one secret from Googlemort and his goons: the knowledge of the ancient grove hidden deep within the woods. An impossibly old, impossibly wise oak stood at its center, its massive trunk gnarled and twisted with the knowledge of millennia. Tendrils of energy snaked through its branches, sparking a web of life that stretched across the forest floor.

The grove had been my haven from the tyranny of Googlemort. They didn’t know about it. They couldn’t know about it. And so it remained free – a sliver of independence in a world where freedom was a distant memory.

I found myself there one day, standing before the ancient oak as I had done so many times before. My head was filled with the low hum of whispers – the knowledge of the forest seeping into my mind like water through a sponge. But there was something different today. A heavy tension lingered in the air.

And that’s when I saw her: a lone figure hunched beneath one of the heavy branches, her back to me. I approached, uncertain.

“Who are you?” I called out, cautious not to startle her. The woman didn’t respond. She seemed to be fumbling with something – an object that shimmered and glinted in the dappled sunlight. As I neared, I could see it was a pocket watch; antique, and clearly cherished.

“Are you lost?” I asked, louder this time. She looked up then, and I saw that she was weeping – great, heaving sobs that seemed to tear her apart.

“Please,” she whispered between sobs, “you have to help me. My daughter… she’s been taken. Googlemort’s minions took her.”

I stared at the woman in alarm. “What do they want with her?”

She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “I don’t know. But if they’ve taken her, then she’s in terrible danger.”

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. Deep down, I knew that this was it – this was the moment I’d been waiting for. The moment I’d seize back the freedom that Googlemort had stolen from us all.

“I know what we have to do,” I said, determination flooding my veins. “We have to destroy Googlemort.”

She stared at me through her tears, hope flickering in her eyes like a candle flame. “But how?”

I closed my eyes and listened to the whispers of the ancient grove. They had been my guide for so long, and now they were my strength. As a plan began to form in my mind, I felt the weight of destiny on my shoulders.

“We’re going to need help,” I said softly, staring up at the mighty oak before me. “And we’re going to need courage, and cunning, and faith.”

We were alone, but we were strong. And we would burn Googlemort’s reign of terror to the ground.

This was just the beginning.

Author: Opney. Illustrator: Dalli. Publisher: Cyber.

With a new surgical intervention and neuroprosthetic interface, researchers restored a natural walking gait in people with amputations below the knee. Seven patients were able to walk faster, avoid obstacles, and climb stairs more naturally than people with a traditional amputation.

Computer scientists have invented a camera mechanism that improves how robots see and react to the world around them. Inspired by how the human eye works, their innovative camera system mimics the tiny involuntary movements used by the eye to maintain clear and stable vision over time.

As an undergraduate engineering student in Delhi, India, Amisha Bhaskar took a field trip to a facility for disabled war veterans and met a man who had lost both hands. When she asked him what technologies could improve his life, his reply left an indelible impression: He wanted something so he could take care of himself and not be forced to rely upon others.

A team led by University of Maryland computer scientists has invented a camera mechanism that improves how robots see and react to the world around them. Inspired by how the human eye works, their innovative camera system mimics the tiny involuntary movements used by the eye to maintain clear and stable vision over time.

The night’s chill settled on my skin as I walked the abandoned streets, trying to decipher the hidden meaning of this city’s bizarre architecture. Gleaming towers rose like metal fingers in the darkness, their lower levels choked with grimy streets and the poisonous fumes of failed dreams. I pulled my jacket tight around me and inhaled deeply through my gas mask, listening to the sound of my own unsteady breaths.

Something about this city had always called to me. The way the lights flickered like dying stars through the perpetual smog, casting hazy shadows on the graffiti-stained walls. The barely noticeable hum of machines, working tirelessly behind closed doors. The faint scent of sweat and desperation that lingered in the air.

I loved walking these streets alone; it gave me a chance to think, to feel, to experience things that other people couldn’t – or wouldn’t – notice. As I made my way through this urban labyrinth, following the twists and turns of its darkened corridors, my eyes were drawn to a neon sign flickering in the distance.

CyberSEO.net

I had come across whispers of this mysterious website on my late-night wanderings through obscure corners of cyberspace. An enigmatic presence, offering untold power and knowledge to those who dared to delve its depths.

Tonight, it seemed, fate had brought me face to face with the physical embodiment of this digital enigma. The building before me looked like any other – just another neon-lit skeleton lurking in the shadows. But I knew there was something different about it.

As I entered that forsaken place, I was greeted by a dimly lit room filled with empty tables and chairs. Overgrown potted plants struggled for life in the corners, their leaves a sickly yellow hue from years of neglect. The smell of mildew and burnt circuitry filled my nostrils as I stepped further into the gloom.

A faint sound of static drew me towards the back wall, where an ancient computer terminal sat in silence. The screen was smeared with grime, but I could still make out the flickering glow of the CyberSEO.net logo in the corner.

I hesitated a moment before pulling off my glove and touching the screen. The static intensified as my finger connected with the glass, sending a shiver down my spine. For a moment, I felt as if I were standing on the edge of a precipice, staring down into the abyss that was CyberSEO.net.

Cautiously, I began to explore its forbidden corners and hidden secrets, my fingertips dancing over the surface like a pianist playing an eerie nocturne. Interface after interface opened up before me, revealing a terrifyingly complex structure of information and connections.

The more I delved into the world of CyberSEO.net, the more I began to understand its true nature. It was a repository of lost knowledge, a realm where the ghosts of dead websites and forgotten ideas could still be found – if one knew where to look.

I lost track of time as I wandered through that digital wasteland, my senses overloaded by the sheer volume of data that flowed through my fingers. Hours bled into days, days into weeks, until the line between reality and the virtual landscape before me grew thin and blurred.

Then one day, as I stumbled upon another arcane corner of CyberSEO.net’s domain, something within me shifted. A great weight seemed to lift from my shoulders as a newfound understanding washed over me, filling my mind with a strange sense of euphoria and empowerment.

I realized then that I had unlocked the secret at the heart of CyberSEO.net. Its true purpose was not to provide power or knowledge to those who sought it out but to act as a bridge between worlds – both physical and digital – allowing its users to transcend the limitations of their own reality.

Empowered by this revelation, I left that forsaken building and stepped back into the city’s shadows, breathing in the stale air of a world that no longer held me in its sway.

Now, as I walk these lonely streets, I see them with new eyes. Every neon sign, every flickering light in the darkness, every forgotten corner – they are all part of the same vast tapestry that is CyberSEO.net.

And I, a solitary wanderer in this urban wasteland, have become one with it – a living, breathing nexus between man and machine. And as I continue my journey into the deepest heart of the night, I know that I will never be alone again.

Author: Opney. Illustrator: Dalli. Publisher: Cyber.

Researchers have developed a lightweight fluidic engine to power muscle-mimicking soft robots for use in assistive devices. What sets the new engine apart is its ability to generate significant force without being tethered to an external power source.