Eevee’s so awesome that July 2025 will mark its third appearance in Pokémon GO Community Day events. July’s Community Day Classic featuring Eevee takes place July 5 and 6, 2025, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. local time, proving once again that Eevee’s magic can’t be contained to a single day. During this time, Eevee will appear more frequently in the wild, and fortunate Trainers might even encounter Shiny Eevee.
As always, event bonuses are hotter than Flareon’s fiery breath, and the following bonuses will be in effect throughout the event.
Evolve Eevee into Espeon after exploring 1 km with Eevee as your buddy (through July 12, 2025, at 10:00 p.m. local time)
Evolve Eevee into Umbreon after exploring 1 km with Eevee as your buddy (through July 12, 2025, at 10:00 p.m. local time)
Evolve Eevee into Sylveon after earning seven hearts with Eevee as your buddy (through July 12, 2025, at 10:00 p.m. local time)
1/4 Egg Hatch Distance
Lure Modules activated during the event will last for three hours
Incense (excluding Daily Adventure Incense) activated during the event will last for three hours
Trainers who evolve Eevee before July 12, 2025, at 10:00 p.m. local time will get an Evolution that knows a featured attack. Catch or evolve Eevee to get the following attacks.
Eevee caught or hatched during this time will know the Charged Attack Last Resort
Vaporeon will know the Charged Attack Scald
Jolteon will know the Charged Attack Zap Cannon
Flareon will know the Charged Attack Superpower
Espeon will know the Charged Attack Shadow Ball
Umbreon will know the Charged Attack Psychic
Leafeon will know the Fast Attack Bullet Seed
Glaceon will know the Charged Attack Water Pulse
Sylveon will know the Charged Attack Psyshock
It would be a slight exaggeration to say there are as many research opportunities as there are Eevee Evolutions. But between the event’s Special Research, Special Background Timed Research, and Field Research, there are plenty of ways to keep busy and earn useful rewards. July Community Day Classic–themed Field Research tasks are mostly focused on catching Eevee to earn rewards such as Stardust, Great Balls, additional encounters with Eevee, and more.
Tickets for Community Day Classic Special Research are available in the in-game shop for US$1.99 (or the equivalent pricing tier in your local currency). Evolve your research game by completing the tasks to earn rewards including one Premium Battle Pass, one Rare Candy XL, additional encounters with Eevee and its Evolutions, and three encounters with Eevee that have a Delightful Days–themed Special Background.
Last but certainly not least, keep the momentum going with Special Background Timed Research. Log in during the event to receive Timed Research leading to an encounter with an Eevee with a Delightful Days–themed Special Background. Trainers will also have an increased chance of encountering Shiny Eevee in these research task rewards. Tasks associated with Timed Research must be completed and rewards claimed by July 12, 2025, at 10:00 p.m. local time.
Have a nice, normal Community Day Classic, Trainers!
Many cytotoxic chemotherapy agents have long-term biological consequences, including premature aging of the cell population structure of healthy blood, the results of a study of the genetic effects of chemotherapy showed. These findings published in Nature Genetics may help to guide future treatments with less harmful adverse effects or strategies for mitigating such toxicities.
“For the first time, we have taken a systematic view of the genetic effects of chemotherapy on healthy tissues—in this case, blood. We find that some, but not all, chemotherapies cause genetic mutations and premature aging in normal blood,” said first author Emily Mitchell, FRCPath, a PhD student at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Clinician at Cambridge University Hospitals. “This study lays the groundwork for future research into the effects of chemotherapy on many other normal tissues, including multiple tissue sampling pre and post treatment, across a range of chemotherapies in a larger group of patients. This comprehensive view would reveal the full range of effects of different chemotherapies and help us to optimize patient health in the long term.”
Study Methods and Rationale
Although the effects of chemotherapeutics on cancer cells are known, their effects on normal tissues and blood are less well understood. As part of the Cancer Grand Challenges, researchers looked at the impact of chemotherapy on mutational burden and cell population structure of normal blood cells, as consistent mutation quantities across samples may provide a good baseline.
The study authors sequenced the blood cell genomes from 23 individuals (between the ages of 3 and 80) who were treated with a variety of chemotherapy regimens for various blood and solid cancers. Results were compared with genomic data from nine healthy participants who had never received chemotherapy.
Key Study Findings
The researchers found that substantial somatic mutation loads with characteristic mutational signatures were found in the patients who had been exposed to certain chemotherapies, but the effects depended on the drug and types of blood cells. For example, the 3-year-old patient with neuroblastoma had more mutations than found in the 80-year-old control participants.
They identified four new mutational signatures from chemotherapy-treated patients. Platinum agents were found to induce significantly more mutations than other types of chemotherapeutics, such as oxaliplatin.
Chemotherapy induced premature changes in the cell population structure of normal blood, which was compared with normal aging processes. For younger patients, this could increase their risk for secondary cancers later in life.
“The effects of chemotherapy we see here—increasing numbers of mutations and premature aging of healthy blood—reasonably contribute to the heightened risk of additional cancers and the patient’s ability to tolerate further treatments in the future,” said co-lead author Jyoti Nangalia, PhD, a Group Leader in the Cancer, Ageing and Somatic Programme at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and a consultant hematologist at Cambridge University Hospitals. “Given that for many cancers, chemotherapy drugs can be switched with other agents to achieve similar results, we hope such genomic data will guide the optimization of future treatment plans to deliver effective chemotherapies with much fewer damaging side effects for patients.”
“I believe that the results of this study hold implications for the way that chemotherapies are used to treat [patients with] cancer. We are constantly on the lookout for better ways of giving therapy and minimizing the side effects of toxic, systemic treatments. I’m hopeful that the genomic information from this and future studies will guide choices of chemotherapies and their adoption in clinical practice,” concluded coauthor and Cancer Grand Challenges team lead Sir Mike Stratton, FMedSci FRS, Senior Group Leader, Wellcome Sanger Institute.
Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit nature.com.
The Pokémon Trading Card Game: Scarlet&Violet—Black Bolt and Scarlet & Violet—White Flare expansions release July 18, 2025, bringing us back to the Unova region and highlighting all 156 Pokémon originally discovered there across both halves of this dual release. Reunite with your favorite Pokémon, uncover inspiring and undeniable power with the region’s Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, and be on the lookout for special illustrations! Scarlet & Violet—Black Bolt and White Flare have unique card sets, so as we begin to uncover the Pokémon and Trainers you’ll find in each, keep in mind which expansion has your favorites.
(Scarlet & Violet—Black Bolt)
N is known not only for his ability to speak with Pokémon but also for his unrivaled genius. Take advantage of his tactical know-how with N’s Plan, a Supporter card that can surprise your opponent by moving up to 2 Energy from your Benched Pokémon to your Active Pokémon.
(Scarlet & Violet—White Flare)
Pure excellence. Have you ever imagined watching a sweet sunset, surrounded by crashing waves and countless Wingull? Samurott certainly doesn’t have to.
(Scarlet & Violet—Black Bolt)
Carracosta could only be obtained after reviving a Cover Fossil in the Pokémon Black, Pokémon White, Pokémon Black 2, and Pokémon White 2 video games, making it a pretty rare Pokémon on your first journey through the region. In the Pokémon TCG, this Stage 2 Pokémon can really stonewall your opponent with its Mighty Shell Ability. You can effectively wall Pokémon with Special Energy attached, forcing your opponent to use cards like Prime Catcher and Boss’s Orders to move it out of the Active Spot.
(Scarlet & Violet—White Flare)
Fun fact: This is the second Zoroark card with the Mind Jack attack! The Zoroark from the XY—BREAKthrough expansion was iconic not only for its Stand In Ability that allowed it to switch into the Active Spot but also for its potential to do up to 160 damage (or 250 with Sky Field in play). This Zoroark has a similar flavor, doing up to 150 damage (or 240 with Area Zero Underdepths in play). Its other attack, Foul Play, is reminiscent of Mew ex’s Genome Hacking attack, copying one of your opponent’s Active Pokémon’s attacks for —which makes this Zoroark an especially tricky companion.
(Scarlet & Violet—Black Bolt)
Remember Kyurem from the Black & White—Noble Victories expansion? This is it now…but not quite. That Kyurem was known for its Glaciate attack, which did 30 damage to all of your opponent’s Pokémon. This Kyurem ex hits your opponent’s Active Pokémon hard, and it still does damage to all your opponent’s Benched Pokémon—this time, it’s 10 damage for each Prize card your opponent has taken, possibly up to 50 damage! And just look at that bone-chilling artwork; it’s on another level.
These cards are just the beginning of what will be available across both Scarlet & Violet—Black Bolt and Scarlet & Violet—White Flare. Seek and collect all your favorite Pokémon when both expansions become available July 18, 2025.
Last month at WWDC, Apple announced a major upgrade for Apple TV: TVOS 26. This upgrade introduces a significant visual overhaul and several unprecedented entertainment features. The platform offers a new layout and interface, along with smart features that weren’t available in TVOS 18.
At the heart of the update is a new design language called Liquid Glass, which gives the interface a more vibrant and expressive look. Across iOS 26 devices, Liquid Glass offers floating, three-dimensional menus and windows, translucent UI elements like icons and menus allowing background visibility, and a rounded design with softer edges for a more organic interface look.
Also: The best Apple TV VPNs of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed
For Apple TV, in particular, the redesign will now showcase cinematic poster art for a more immersive browsing experience. The update also streamlines profile switching and app logins, making it easier to access personalized content. Apple’s TVOS 26 is also expected to incorporate new Apple Intelligence features in the coming year.
Apple
Additionally, Apple Music Sing will now let users sing along — karaoke style — with friends using their iPhones (as a microphone) with on-screen lyrics. Even better, multiple iPhones can be connected simultaneously, allowing friends and family to join in. They can queue up their favorite tracks and send emoji reactions that appear on the TV screen in real-time.
Other notable updates include a more personalized FaceTime experience with the addition of Contact Posters and an expansion of Live Captions to translate languages like Spanish, French, German, and more.
Also: The 5 biggest MacOS features announced at WWDC 2025
The beloved Aerial screen savers are also enhanced with captivating landscapes, and for the first time, users can choose which categories of screen savers to display. Finally, a key audio upgrade will now allow users to designate any AirPlay-enabled speaker as the permanent, default audio output for their Apple TV.
Lastly, at WWDC 2025, Apple TV+ announced new content options on its streaming app. A short list includes: “Foundation,” “Chief of War,” “Slow Horses,” “The Savant,” and several others.
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The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moriadeveloper Free Range Games has reportedly laid off the entire development team of an unannounced game, which totaled around 80 employees.
Via LinkedIn, multiple developers shared the news and announced their job searches over the past week. This includes senior UX/UI designer Quinn Le, senior technical narrative designer James Binns, executive producer Jacob Van Rooyen, quest designer Tracy Runanin-Telle, and senior producers Adrienne Daniel and Joseph Knox.
“On Monday, the project I’ve been working on for the last 4 years was pulled from our hands, and our entire development team was laid off,” Lee wrote. “We are all saddened, off-balance, but most of all, looking to the future.”
Knox said that the project had “its publisher pull funding,” which has affected “80 devs.” Daniel also mentioned this figure in their farewell post. Runanin-Telle’s profile mentions an unannounced project, in which the designer did “content creation for multiple quests in an open-world setting,” amidst a myriad of other tasks.
Free Range Games is yet to make an announcement acknowledging the latest reported layoffs. Two weeks ago, at least five developers wrote a post saying they were now seeking new work opportunities. Four of them used the same messaging, which reads as follows: “Hi everyone! I’m seeking a new role and would appreciate your support. If you hear of any opportunities or just want to catch up, please send me a message or comment below.”
Related:Xbox closes The Initiative and cancels its Perfect Dark reboot
Shortly after, one of them, lead quest designer Adam Alim, wrote, “here we are again with the layoffs,” sharing details about their past experience alongside a portfolio.
Free Range Games previously laid off employees in April 2025
According to the company’s LinkedIn profile, there are at least 117 employees associated with it. The reported layoffs mark the second time the company has let go of workers this year. The first took place three months ago, which the studio announced via social media.
The company didn’t disclose the exact number of employees affected in the earlier layoffs, but it did say that “some of them” had “chosen to share their profiles” along with the announcement. The list included 13 people across multiple departments.
The studio is currently working on an online skateboarding game called Wrekless, which is set to release “soon” on Steam Early Access. It’s unclear if this is the project that was reportedly shut down. The studio has previously served as an external developer on games like The Callisto Protocol and Oddworld: Soulstorm.
Related:Former Ubisoft execs convicted for sexual assault, psychological harassment
Game Developer has reached out to Free Range Games for comment on the matter.
In my three-plus decades of watching Microsoft, I’ve seen the company do some truly dumb things. The transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11 deserves a spot at the top of the list. What’s most impressive is that the strategy it’s been executing is bad for Microsoft’s customers, and bad for the company’s bottom line. A real lose-lose proposition.
Also: Microsoft unveils Windows 11 25H2 – here’s who can try it now and how
In 2021, when Microsoft’s engineers were putting the finishing touches on what would become Windows 11, the plan was to make it a conventional release that would have allowed most Windows 10 PCs an easy upgrade path. But someone at Microsoft killed that plan, creating a series of headaches that will become exceptionally costly and painful for businesses and consumers at the end of 2025.
And it didn’t have to be this way. To understand why, we need to talk about the long history of Microsoft Windows support policies.
Microsoft’s 10-year support lifecycle
Since the mid-1990s — the start of the modern Windows era — Microsoft has committed to support every new commercial release of Windows for at least 10 years — five years of mainstream support and five years of extended support. That commitment was formalized a quarter-century ago with the release of Windows 2000; it expanded to officially include consumers in 2012.
And that 10 years was about the operating system, not the hardware. Because of the company’s obsessive focus on backward compatibility, you could pretty much count on your PC being able to run the latest version of Windows for at least a dozen years and maybe even 15 years. If you bought a PC with Windows 7 preinstalled in 2010, you were able to upgrade it to Windows 8 in 2012 and then Windows 10 in 2015, and many of those devices are still running Windows 10 productively in 2025.
Also: How to get Windows 10 extended security updates for free: 2 options
That’s why it was such a rude shock when Microsoft released Windows 11 in 2021 with a set of unexpectedly rigid hardware restrictions. The requirements were so severe that they blocked upgrades even on PCs that had been purchased new only two or three years before Windows 11 was released. That effectively reduced the support lifecycle to well under 10 years for hundreds of millions of PCs designed and built between 2016 and 2019.
If you felt like you’d just had the rug pulled out from under you by someone in Redmond, well, you’re not alone.
The chaotic launch of Windows 11
Windows 11 went through one of the most compressed development cycles in the long history of the OS. Announced in June 2021, tested in an Insider Preview cycle for about three months, then released in October 2021.
The way that announcement played out was just an absolute mess from a corporate communications standpoint. The online launch event on June 24, 2021, was so glitchy that most of the invited press and analysts were unable to watch it. And that was just the start. To remind myself of how insane that week was, I reread a piece I wrote at the time: “Will your PC run Windows 11? Even Microsoft can’t say for sure.”
Also: Can’t upgrade your Windows 10 PC? Here are your options before it all ends in 3 months
Oh man, did that bring back a flood of unpleasant memories. I encourage you to read that post and look at the number of times I had to update it after Microsoft execs backtracked, revised, hemmed and hawed with every detail of the launch. They then memory-holed the confusing record they had created, doing such a thorough job that even the Internet Archive can’t locate the original documents.
But after doing that research and reading contemporaneous posts from other sources covering the same topic at the same time, I think I know what happened.
When Windows 11 was announced, Microsoft had prepared two sets of system requirements.
The first set of requirements included detailed CPU compatibility checks as well as the requirement for a TPM 2.0. Microsoft called this the Soft Floor.
The second set would have allowed any machine that was made for Windows 10 to be upgradeable to Windows 11, although they would see a message warning them that an upgrade is not advised. This was called the Hard Floor, and it would have given PCs built between 2015 and 2018 an upgrade path that would keep them running after Windows 10 support ended in 2025.
Those requirements were public on June 25, 2021, when a Microsoft volunteer moderator on the Windows community discussion forum reassured some anxious questioners that their unsupported processors were a “soft floor requirement.” He even quoted from the Compatibility Cookbook.
Also: How to install Windows 11 your way (and avoid Microsoft’s restrictions)
The next day, he edited the post to acknowledge that the information was no longer valid and that the referenced pages had been removed. You can see the original text in strikeout mode here:
In a matter of about 48 hours, Microsoft changed and then memory-holed its original system requirements for Windows 11.
Screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNET
Oops.
What happened?
I have no inside knowledge about what was going on inside the conference rooms at One Microsoft Way that week, but my guess is that two factions in the executive suite were fighting over what to do with one Windows 11.
One group was holding out for allowing both sets of requirements to coexist so that they could retain Microsoft’s traditional 10-plus-year support lifecycle.
Also: How to do a clean install of Windows 11: See which option is best for you and why
All the documentation that came out around the Windows 11 announcement in June 2021 acknowledged both sets of requirements. The engineers who had been building Windows 11 wanted to release a broad set of compatibility recommendations that discouraged — but did not prohibit — upgrades on older PCs that met the hard floor. “Devices that do not meet the hard floor cannot be upgraded to Windows 11, and devices that meet the soft floor will receive a notification that upgrade is not advised.”
The other group wanted to draw a line in the sand, customers be damned.
Guess who won.
As part of their victory lap, those hard-liners ruthlessly erased every trace of the original requirements, at least in document form. For more than three years, a Microsoft Support page called “Ways to install Windows 11” included detailed instructions on how to modify the registry and create installation media to upgrade Windows 10 PCs that contained at least a TPM 1.2 and had an unsupported CPU. Microsoft removed those instructions in December 2024. (You can find a copy of the original page on the Internet Archive.)
But it didn’t remove the registry keys and other workarounds that had made it possible to upgrade those older but still functional Windows PCs so they could have their normal 10-plus years of life. You can still use those small tweaks today to install and run Windows 11 on hardware that met the “hard floor” requirements. (That’s Option 1 in my guide: “How to upgrade your ‘incompatible’ Windows 10 PC to Windows 11 – 2 free options.”)
Also: How to clear the cache on your Windows 11 PC (and why you shouldn’t wait to do it)
Blocking those perfectly functional machines from upgrading was rude, it was thoughtless, and it was, from a purely capitalist point of view, an amazingly effective way to alienate a huge proportion of your customer base.
Why did this happen?
Hundreds of millions of PCs that are running Windows 10 today can’t be upgraded to Windows 11 using supported tools. How many? Who knows? My best guess is that about 50% of the Windows 10 installed base is ineligible for an upgrade, which adds up to at least 500 million PCs — maybe a couple hundred million more, if you believe Microsoft’s optimistic numbers.
For PCs in managed corporate environments, Microsoft can squeeze out $427 per machine for a three-year subscription to the Extended Security Updates program, or convince those customers to upgrade to new hardware or move those workloads to cloud-based Windows 365 PCs. Either strategy will put money in Microsoft’s pocket.
Also: 6 things I always do after setting up Windows 11 – and why you should too
As for consumers and small, unmanaged businesses, well, y’all have been an afterthought for the past four years. But the prospect of having all those machines suddenly cut off from security updates runs the risk of creating a security nightmare at the end of this year. So, in a move that any reasonable person could have predicted four years ago, Microsoft in late June caved — not by extending the end-of-support date for Windows 10 but by agreeing to give away one-year ESU subscriptions to consumers with Microsoft accounts who are willing to jump through a few hoops.
That doesn’t solve the problem. It just kicks the can down the road for 12 months and gives consumers and small businesses something to be even more confused about. I expect to receive an avalanche of email this fall from people unsure about their options and nervous about whether it’s safe to keep using their old, perfectly good PC. Some of them will simply pay the $30.
And let’s be clear: If these requirements are really about security, then why is Microsoft willing to take money from its business customers to allow it to keep delivering updates to the “insecure” older operating system for three full years after the end-of-support date? And why is it limiting individual customers and small businesses, who are running the same OS on identical hardware, to a one-year extension?
Also: 7 quick ways to make Windows 11 less annoying right now
It’s almost like Microsoft thinks those small-fry customers are more trouble than they’re worth, just a headache. It can squeeze out some revenue by making Windows more annoying, but those commercial/enterprise customers are a much more dependable and lucrative source of revenue.
Bottom line: It didn’t have to be this way. Microsoft could have chosen to roll out Windows 11 in a more traditional way, giving a compatibility break to older machines. Instead, it chose this path. And now it’s paying the price.
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The Sindh government has officially contacted the World Health Organization (WHO) to help control the worsening outbreak of mosquito-borne diseases across the province, especially in Karachi.
Due to recent rains, large pools of stagnant water have formed, leading to a sharp increase in mosquitoes across Sindh, which has caused a surge in dengue, malaria, and chikungunya.
In a letter to the WHO, the Sindh Health Department requested urgent technical assistance for case management, diagnosis, medical staff training, and indoor insecticide spraying in high-risk areas.
Officials warned that the virus outbreak could spiral out of control if not handled immediately. They stressed the need for strong international cooperation and expert support from global health bodies.
READ: Malaria, Dengue cases surge across Sindh, Karachi worst affected
So far this year, over 65,000 malaria cases and around 300 dengue cases have been reported across Sindh. Karachi, in particular, has seen a dangerous spike in mosquito-related illnesses.
The Health Department said that monsoon rains have worsened the crisis. Pools of rainwater and garbage are creating perfect conditions for mosquito breeding in many urban neighborhoods.
The lack of proper spraying campaigns has made the situation worse. The Health Department said local resources are not enough, which is why they have reached out to the WHO for help.
Health experts have urged citizens to take basic precautions, such as closing windows, removing stagnant water, and using mosquito repellents, especially in the evenings and during night hours.
Doctors also advised people to keep drinking water covered and avoid outdoor activities at night, when mosquitoes are most active and dangerous.
The provincial government said the WHO’s help is essential to control the spread, protect vulnerable communities, and avoid a full-blown public health emergency in the coming weeks.
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RAWALPINDI, JUL 2 /DNA/ – Lieutenant General Wiseman Simo Mbambo, Chief of the South African Air Force, called on Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force at Air Headquarters, Islamabad.
Upon his arrival, a smartly turned-out contingent of Pakistan Air Force presented Guard of Honour to Lieutenant General Wiseman Simo Mbambo.
During the meeting, Chief of the Air Staff emphasized the shared values and aspirations that form the foundation of the deep-rooted friendship between Pakistan and South Africa. The Air Chief reiterated PAF’s commitment to bolster aerial combat capabilities of the South African Air Force through tailored training and capacity-building initiatives. Lieutenant General Wiseman Mbambo lauded PAF’s robust operational readiness, its multi-domain warfare capabilities and its success in maintaining a credible deterrence posture. Recognizing the shared values and interests between the two Air Forces, the South African Air Chief articulated a strong desire to further strengthen and institutionalize the formal relationship between South African Air Force and PAF. One of the central themes of the discussions was the revamping of South African Air Force’s training regime. In this context, Lieutenant General Mbambo sought Pakistan Air Force’s support in developing a modern and comprehensive training framework, commencing at the academy level. The visiting dignitary also expressed his earnest desire of participation of South African Air Force officers as observers in PAF’s major operational exercises. Acknowledging the technical excellence and cost-effective maintenance capabilities offered by PAF’s engineering infrastructure, he also conveyed the intent of South African Air Force to undertake the inspection and maintenance of its C-130 fleet in Pakistan.
Researchers from the Technical University of Denmark believe that artificial and natural intelligences may share more in common than we thought, at least in terms of the way they learn — thanks to a concept called “convexity.”
“We’ve developed new tools to measure convexity within the complex latent spaces of deep neural networks,” explains first author Lenka Tětková of the team’s work. “We tested these measures across various AI models and data types: images, text, audio, human activity, and even medical data. And we found that the same geometric principle that helps humans form and share concepts — convexity — also shapes how machines learn, generalise, and align with us.”
Researchers suggest that “convexity,” in which related ideas form shared conceptual spaces, may apply to both human and machine learning. (📷: Tětková et al)
The concept of “convexity” in cognitive science was originally proposed by Peter Gärdenfors, and is based on the mathematical concept of the same name — but rather than applying to geometry is instead used to refer to the formation of “conceptual spaces,” or “convex regions,” where related ideas cluster together. It’s key to the way the human mind can generalize from a small number of examples — and may also apply to how machine learning and artificial intelligence (ML and AI) models are trained, too.
“We found that convexity is surprisingly common in deep networks and might be a fundamental property that emerges naturally as machines learn,” says project lead Lars Kai Hansen. “Imagine that a concept, say, a cat, forms a nice, well-defined convex region in the machine before it’s even taught to identify cats specifically. Then it’s more likely to learn to identify cats accurately later on. We believe this is a powerful insight, because it suggests that convexity might be a useful indicator of a model’s potential for specific learning tasks.”
By scoring models based on their convexity, it may be possible to better understand — and improve — AI models. (📷: Tětková et al)
“By showing that AI models exhibit properties (like convexity) that are fundamental to human conceptual understanding,” Tětková continues, “we move closer to creating machines that ‘think’ in ways that are more comprehensible and aligned with our own. This is vital for building trust and collaboration between humans and machines in critical applications like healthcare, education, and public service. “While there’s still much to explore, the results suggest that the seemingly abstract idea of convexity may hold the key to unlocking new secrets on AI’s internal workings and bringing us closer to intelligent and human-aligned machines.”
The team’s work, which was part of a Novo Nordisk Foundation-funded project dubbed “Cognitive Spaces — Next Generation Explainable AI,” has been published in the journal Nature Communications under open-access terms.
