Technologies

OpenAI, Microsoft and Anthropic Pony Up $23M to Teach Teachers About AI

Educators will learn about AI in a program created by the American Federation of Teachers.

The American Federation of Teachers is using $23 million in funds from three tech companies to launch a program to train educators on artificial intelligence.

On Tuesday, the country’s second-largest teachers’ union announced $12.5 million from Microsoft, $10 million in funding and technical resources from OpenAI and $500,000 from Anthropic will be used for a New York-based hub to teach AI. The AFT is working in partnership with the United Federation of Teachers, a union representing New York school workers.

The hub will be called the National Academy for AI Instruction, and according to OpenAI, will serve 400,000 educators to develop AI fluency by 2030 through workshops, online courses and hands-on training sessions. The plan, according to the company, is to start in New York and scale nationwide, including additional hubs elsewhere in the country. The effort will begin with a focus on K-12 educators.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

In a post on X, AFT President Randi Weingarten wrote, «This will be an innovative new training space where educators will learn not just about how A.I. works, but how to use it wisely, safely and ethically.It will be a place where tech developers and educators can talk with each other, not past each other.»

The announcement was not met with unanimous praise. On a post on the UFT’s Facebook page, commenters were not happy. «AI use has been proven to reduce brain activity but sure, why not,» one commenter wrote.

Another wrote, «This is absolutely a horrible decision by the Union. It is undermining our work and also doesn’t take in consideration the ramifications of AI in education.»

Technologies

Anti-Prime Deal: Get a PS5 Slim and One of My Favorite Games for $106 Off With This Walmart Discount

Astro Bot is easily one of the best showcases of the PS5 Slim’s features and performance. Score both the game and the console together for just $453 today at Walmart.

If you’ve been on the fence about jumping into the current generation of 4K console gaming (or have been waiting for a good time to add a Sony PlayStation 5 to your gaming arsenal), today is a good day to make your move. As part of its anti-Prime Day counteroffensive, Walmart has the PS5 Slim console with Astro Bot bundle (packing in one of my favorite games on the platform) for $453, a massive $106 discount.

The PS5 boasts impressive graphic horsepower, and the slim variant on offer packs that power into a smaller, more shelf-friendly package. This is also the version that retains its optical disc drive, so you’ll still be able to borrow physical games from friends or save money by picking up pre-owned copies of older favorites.

However, the features that most capture my attention are packed into the console’s included DualSense wireless controller. The controller features haptic triggers, an evolution of the familiar rumble feedback that adds variable resistance and feel to the left and right trigger buttons. It’s the sort of thing you have to feel to truly understand. Fortunately, the adorable Astro Bot — one of the showcases of everything the console and controller’s haptics can do — is included in the bundle.

Looking for more Prime Day deals? CNET’s text deals are an easy way to keep up with the latest sales. And hey, it’s free!

Astro Bot is the sequel to the pack-in Astro’s Playroom, building out the world of PlayStation’s cutesy robotic mascot with platforming stages that showcase the PS5’s motion controls, haptic feedback, touchpad and more. If the PS5 supports a feature, Astro Bot puts it through its paces. The gameplay is easy enough for novices or younger gamers to enjoy, while the visuals, clever mechanics and challenge modes kept me, a well-seasoned gamer, delighted for hours on end. Not just a glorified tech demo, this game is also a love letter to PlayStation’s storied 30-plus year history with cameo appearances by dozens of characters from beloved first- and third-party titles.

Why this deal matters

Walmart’s PS5 Slim and Astro Bot bundle offers a significant discount, saving you approximately $106 compared to purchasing the console and game separately at their regular prices. This substantial saving means you’ll have enough extra cash to grab two additional games from Sony’s extensive PlayStation catalog, immediately expanding your gaming library and your fun. Check out the best of Walmart’s anti-Prime Day deals for even more ways to save.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, July 10

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 10.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Why was today’s Mini Crossword so tough? I had a lot of wrong answers that I had to go back and delete. Were you stumped too? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: 5×5 crossword
Answer: MINI

5A clue: Breakfast sandwich option
Answer: BACON

6A clue: From way back when
Answer: OFOLD

7A clue: Like much toothpaste
Answer: MINTY

8A clue: First, second or third, but not fourth
Answer: BASE

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Party game with accusations from «villagers»
Answer: MAFIA

2D clue: Total legends
Answer: ICONS

3D clue: Actor Nick on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Answer: NOLTE

4D clue: The N.B.A.’s Pacers, familiarly
Answer: INDY

5D clue: Fail at stand-up
Answer: BOMB

Technologies

PlayStation Plus Subscribers Can Get Chromed Out in Cyberpunk 2077 Now

Subscribers — and their kids — can also play other games on PlayStation Plus, like the Bluey game, soon.

When CD Projekt Red launched Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020, the game was plagued by bugs and glitches. Since then, the company has provided free updates and patches to the game to make it a fun, engaging and award-winning experience. And some PlayStation Plus subscribers can now play this dystopian, sci-fi game.

PlayStation Plus is Sony’s version of Xbox Game Pass, and it offers subscribers a large and constantly expanding library of games. There are three PlayStation Plus tiers — Essential ($10 a month), Extra ($15 a month) and Premium ($18 a month) — and each gives subscribers access to games. However, only Extra and Premium tier subscribers can access the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog.

Here are all the games Extra and Premium subscribers can play soon. You can also check out the games all PS Plus subscribers can play in July, including Diablo 4. Note, Sony will add these games to the PS Plus Game Catalog on July 15 unless otherwise noted.

Cyberpunk 2077

Welcome to Night City, where corporations control everything, crime is around every corner, and almost everyone has cybernetic implants called chrome. You play as a local mercenary named V, and after a heist goes bad, you have to figure out a way to survive with everyone gunning for you. And if that wasn’t enough, Keanu Reeves is in this game as a terrorist named Johnny Silverhand, because, well, he has a silver cybernetic hand.

PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers can play this game now.

Bluey: The Videogame

The game, based on the popular animated series, is coming to the PS Plus Game Catalog on Tuesday. You can play as Bandit, Chili, Bingo or Bluey as you explore areas from the show, like the Heeler house, the playground and the creek. You can also play games from the show, like Keepy Uppy and Chattermax Chase. And who knows, maybe you’ll see some gray nomads while you’re playing.

Abiotic Factor

Science meets violence in this 1990s-inspired sci-fi survival game. You and up to five other players can choose your areas of expertise, build your scientist and explore a massive, top-secret underground complex filled with artifacts and supernatural horrors that could tear you limb from limb. And remember, safety, security and secrecy are of the utmost importance… usually.

PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers can play this game on July 22.

Other games coming to PS Plus soon

PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers can play all of the games listed above, as well as the ones listed here, soon.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
New World: Aeternum
Planet Zoo
Risk of Rain 2
Tropico 6
Twisted Metal 3*
Twisted Metal 4*

*Premium subscribers only.

For more on PlayStation Plus, here’s what to know about the service and a rundown of PS Plus Extra and Premium games added in June. You can also check out the latest and upcoming games on Xbox Game Pass and Apple Arcade.