German electrolyser manufacturer <strong>Sunfire</strong> has announced a significant financial milestone with 215 million euros raised in a Series E equity financing round, further complemented by ...

Sunfire secures more than 500 million euros to accelerate growth and industrialisation of its green hydrogen technologies

SunFire

sunfire

⅔ of all venture investments by Big Energy companies go into sustainability. These include CCUS, Renewables, Hydrogen, Chemicals recycling, Grid & Utility tech, E-transport, and Digital. As pressure mounts for corporations to reduce their environmental footprint, energy giants have ramped up investments into clean energy and partnered with other firms to diversify away from oil & gas, recently announcing a pledge to be net-zero by 2050. Strategies for decarbonization are usually two-pronged: make current oil & gas operations more efficient and less carbon intensive (“core” / conventional energy) explore new forms of renewable energy generation (“new” / “future” energy) Amid the record of US oil and gas corporations, let's take a look at real examples of what these companies are doing in terms of the green transition. historical profits Hydrogen Hydrogen is poised to be a away from fossil fuels. This has been recognized by oil & gas companies as well as the Much of the existing oil & gas infrastructure (pipelines, gas turbine generators, refueling stations, etc.) can be easily repurposed for hydrogen uses, making this tech more appealing to oil & gas companies. pivotal fuel in the energy transition US Department of Energy. For example, TotalEnergies has established a partnership with Sunfire. This company produces renewable hydrogen and syngas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, from renewable electricity, water steam and captured CO2. Also, in August 2021, Chevron invested in Raven SR, which transforms biomass, mixed municipal solid waste, bio-solids, sewage, medical waste, and natural or biogas into renewable fuels. As for the independent players, (who do not yet partner with global giants, but have the potential to compete with them through their innovative products) we can name Electric Hydrogen (EH2), which is working on supplying ‘green hydrogen’ — hydrogen produced using renewable energy — to industrial sectors. EH2 secured $198M from a group of top investors, Fifth Wall Climate Tech led the round, with participation by S2G Ventures, and lenders Silicon Valley Bank and Trinity Capital. Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) in mitigating the effects of climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. CCUS involves capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from various sources, utilizing it for various purposes, and safely storing it so that it does not escape into the atmosphere. The technology is critical in reducing the carbon footprint of industries such as power generation, oil refining, and cement manufacturing, and is seen as an essential component in achieving global carbon emissions reduction targets. With the increasing awareness of the need to tackle climate change, the CCUS industry is gaining traction, and investment in research and development is expected to increase in the coming years. Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) is a crucial field Under pressure from EU governments to reach its net-zero goal by 2050, European energy giant TotalEnergies introduces deep interest in carbon utilization. In early 2021, its venture arm invested in UK-based carbon recycling company Deep Branch. The company's technology generates clean, nutritious, and sustainable single-cell protein directly from carbon dioxide in industrial waste gas, enabling its clients in the feed industry to reduce their carbon footprint. In addition to these efforts, In 2020, Shell acquired Select Carbon, an Australia-based carbon recycling startup, which uses microbes to convert carbon dioxide from industrial emissions into usable products. A noteworthy independent company - NET Power - developed a power plant that burns natural gas without releasing emissions into the atmosphere. The company achieves this by storing and using CO2, instead of steam, as a way to generate electricity. , the company has raised a total of $150M investments, from Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, Exelon Corporations, the Shawn Group and 8 Rivers. According to Crunchbase Grid & utility tech The Grid & Utility tech area to the technologies and systems that make up the electrical grid and its supporting infrastructure. This includes power generation, transmission, and distribution networks, as well as energy storage solutions and demand response systems. The focus of this field is to improve the reliability, resilience, and sustainability of the grid while reducing its cost and carbon footprint. With the increasing adoption of renewable energy sources and the rise of electric vehicles, Grid & Utility tech has become an increasingly important area for investment and innovation. refers As renewable energy systems require a multi-pronged, digitized approach to ensure they stay online at all times, TotalEnergies has funded startup LevelTen Energy through its venture arm. Company’s platform connects corporate and industrial power buyers to the universe of power purchase agreements from utility-scale wind, solar, and storage projects. Beyond this, in August 2020 Shell, another industry giant, invested in Palmetto Clean Technologies - software that helps consumers understand their energy spend, while enabling and promoting the home-based use of clean energy solutions, such as solar. Chemical recycling The industry aims to convert waste plastic into valuable chemicals, hereby potentially reducing the release of harmful chemicals into the environment. Chemical recycling can also produce high-quality raw materials, thereby decreasing demand for fossil fuels and other natural resources. In contrast, the traditional method of recycling plastic, mechanical recycling, has its limitations and can only be applied to a limited number of plastic types and grades.  As technology develops, chemical recycling could promote domestic businesses and employment, creating a market for plastic waste and a new way to reuse some plastics. chemical recycling TotalEnergies has built partnerships with Citeo, chemical recycler Recycling Technologies, Nestlé, and Mars to examine the technical and economic feasibility of recycling complex plastic waste, such as small, flexible and multilayered food-grade packaging. Like other oil & gas players, In September 2021, Chevron also invested in gr3n startup. Company supplies a reliable chemical recycling solution that closes the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) lifecycle, offers polymer grade material, treats waste, lowers carbon footprints, and provides cost savings for players throughout the value chain. Renewable Energy Renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, hydro, and bioenergy, are becoming increasingly cost-competitive with traditional fossil fuels and are expected to play a major role in meeting the world's growing energy needs in the future. , Renewables the largest source of global electricity generation by early 2025, surpassing coal. In addition, renewable energy technologies are making great strides in terms of cost-effectiveness and efficiency, with continued innovation expected to drive even greater progress in the years to come. According to the Renewables 2022 report will become Chevron’s renewable energy investment strategy has been broad, ranging from offshore wind and solar to nuclear fusion and geothermal. So, in August 2020, the industry witnessed investment from CTV to Zap Energy. It is a Seattle-based start-up company that develops and commercializes fusion energy technology using the sheared-flow stabilized (SFS) Z-pinch. As part of this, in November 2020, Shell built a partnership with Renewi and Nordsol. They will construct a bio-LNG plant in Amsterdam, where Renewi will collect organic waste, Nordsol will process it into bio-LNG, and Shell will make it available at its gas stations. ExxonMobil recently acquired a minority interest in Norway-based biofuels company Biojet, which converts forestry and wood-based construction waste into biofuels and biofuel components E-transport The transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for approximately 15% of total emissions. The adoption of EVs, which emit far less greenhouse gases than internal combustion engines, can help reduce the carbon footprint of the transportation sector and contribute to the fight against climate change. In addition to reducing emissions, EVs also offer numerous other benefits, such as improved energy efficiency, lower operating costs, and a reduced dependence on oil. The electrification of the transportation industry has also spurred innovation in battery technology and charging infrastructure, which will be crucial to making EVs a practical and convenient option for consumers. Powering cars with electricity is a growing priority for Shell. It has established partnerships with Porsche, Hyundai, and Singapore-based Energy Market Authority to develop EV tech in 2021. They will implement Southeast Asia’ first cross-border high performance charging network with 12 charge points at 6 Shell stations strategically located along Malaysia’s North-South highway. It will offer the possibility of convenient travel between Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Penang in the future. Similarly, TotalEnergies backed Chargetrip in 2020. The company’s platform and proprietary algorithms use multiple variables and predictive models to calculate the range of any electric vehicle, compute the best route to a destination, including the optimal charge stations in between, optimize for total travel time and travel costs. On top of that, in 2019, Chevron teamed up with EVgo. This company owns and operates a public direct current fast charging network in the U.S. Digital The digital industry has emerged as a powerful tool in promoting sustainable development, by leveraging technology to address social, economic and environmental challenges. In recent years, businesses have increasingly adopted digital solutions to enhance their operations and reduce their carbon footprint, while also improving access to information, goods and services for communities worldwide. As the digital sector continues to grow and evolve, it presents exciting opportunities for companies to develop innovative solutions and play a vital role in shaping a sustainable future. In this focus area, TotalEnergies has started partnership with supply chain and CO2 traceability startup Circulor and Recycling Technologies. Project TRACKCYCLE will embed blockchain technology into the advanced recycling value chain, with the aim of providing a fully traceable and accurately labeled record of recycled materials. In February 2022, Shell acquired Powershop, an operator of an online power company aimed to incentivize consumers in the Australian market to change their energy usage habits.It is also worth looking into an independent company WellAware. This company's technology offers end-to-end data to capture, monitor, and analyze datasets for oilfield intelligence from data collection to decision analytics. Raised $75M from investors like Activant Capital, Carlos Slim, and Dick Cheney. In conclusion, we can say that, despite some active participation from BigEnergy companies in recent years in funding the green transition (at least with venture money), we understand that still of CO2 in the world is produced from the use of fossil fuels. Therefore, we can expect even more proactive actions from those companies, especially given the recent . 92% new rules of the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance

As Pressure Mounts, Energy Companies Turn to 7 Key Technologies to Tackle Emissions

Let’s address the most radioactive element in your team’s periodic table: the brilliant, toxic developer who you just can’t fire. L can’t We all know the type. The kind of engineer who codes like a wizard but communicates like a warlord. They ship flawless architecture in half the time... then blow it all up with a single Slack message. Worse, they’re considered “untouchable”, maybe because they own critical infrastructure, they’re the only one who understands your legacy system, or they’ve got execs wrapped around their Git history. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: you don’t need to fire them to fix the damage. But you do need a strategy. One that protects your team’s culture without lighting a fuse under your best coder. do Let me show you what actually works. 1. Acknowledge Their Brilliance Without Worshipping It 1. Acknowledge Their Brilliance Without Worshipping It Toxic devs often thrive in environments where their intellect is equated with immunity. Be clear: "We appreciate your expertise, but that doesn’t give anyone a pass on behavior." "We appreciate your expertise, but that doesn’t give anyone a pass on behavior." You can praise their output while still holding them accountable. It’s not about diminishing their genius; it’s about balancing it with team harmony. If their presence erodes morale, the entire team’s velocity drops (even if this person is dragging three features across the finish line solo). Try this: A private 1:1 where you explicitly separate their technical contributions from the interpersonal issues. Use neutral, observable facts. No loaded language like "arrogant" or "difficult"; just call out the impact. "When you criticized the database decision in the group chat, two junior devs told me they were afraid to speak up afterward. That slows down our collaboration." This isn’t about emotions; it’s about outcomes. When psychological safety disappears, so does innovation. Toxicity isn’t just a people problem. It’s a productivity problem. 2. Set Boundaries Like It’s Your Job (Because It Is) 2. Set Boundaries Like It’s Your Job (Because It Is) Brilliance can make people bold. But left unchecked, it turns into entitlement. If you let this dev set their own rules like skipping standups, ghosting code reviews, dominating architecture decisions, you’re reinforcing the idea that they’re above the system. Set expectations in writing. Include: Code review participation rules
Communication norms (e.g., respectful critique, no public shaming)
Response times and task ownership Code review participation rules Communication norms (e.g., respectful critique, no public shaming) Response times and task ownership You’re not micromanaging. You’re putting bumpers on a bowling lane. And here’s the kicker: enforce those boundaries for everyone. everyone If this dev sees others getting away with sloppiness, they’ll justify their own rule-breaking. Consistency is your armor. Also, be ready to repeat yourself. High performers often test limits as a way to seek validation or control. 3. Redirect the Ego: Make Them a Mentor 3. Redirect the Ego: Make Them a Mentor This sounds counterintuitive. Why give more influence to someone who already causes friction? Because ego isn’t the enemy. Unchanneled ego is. Unchanneled Assign this dev as a mentor to a high-potential junior (someone resilient). It creates two effects: It gives them a new identity: "mentor" instead of "lone genius."


It humanizes their teammates. It’s harder to trash talk someone you’re coaching. It gives them a new identity: "mentor" instead of "lone genius." It gives them a new identity: "mentor" instead of "lone genius." It humanizes their teammates. It’s harder to trash talk someone you’re coaching. It humanizes their teammates. It’s harder to trash talk someone you’re coaching. Make it clear the goal isn’t just technical transfer. It’s also about collaborative maturity. If they do well, recognize it. If they struggle, use it as a mirror: "This junior dev finds it hard to ask you questions. Let’s explore why." You're using their strength (technical excellence) to heal their weakness (poor collaboration). This shift in role can spark a transformation. Many devs want to be seen as leaders but don’t know how. Give them the playbook, and hold them to it. 4. Shield the Team Without Feeding the Drama 4. Shield the Team Without Feeding the Drama Sometimes, shielding the rest of your team is less about changing the toxic dev and more about buffering everyone else. Run post-mortems that focus on process, not people. Use anonymous feedback tools. Normalize phrases like: process "Let's prioritize clarity over cleverness."
"All feedback should be kind, specific, and actionable." "Let's prioritize clarity over cleverness." "All feedback should be kind, specific, and actionable." Create psychological safety. You want your devs to take risks, ask dumb questions, and push back—even in front of the most intimidating teammate. Team culture is more fragile than you think. It only takes one unchecked outburst to make someone quietly start looking for a new job. And remember: if your other team members start to check out, you’ve got a bigger problem than one high-performing jerk. And remember: if your other team members start to check out, you’ve got a bigger problem than one high-performing jerk. 5. Document Everything and Build Redundancy 5. Document Everything and Build Redundancy This is your insurance policy. If this dev is truly unfireable now, they shouldn't stay that way forever. now Start by building documentation. Pair them up on critical tasks so no system is a black box. Normalize knowledge-sharing sessions and rotate ownership of legacy code. Make them less of a bottleneck without making it obvious. Then document every incident of toxic behavior. Dates. Screenshots. Impacts. Quietly build a case that HR or leadership can’t ignore. You’re not plotting revenge. You’re preparing an option. option Because someday, someone will ask, "Why didn’t we act sooner?" And you’ll have an answer. will Having documentation also helps protect you and the team. It turns vague discomfort into visible patterns. Conclusion Conclusion There’s a fine line between brilliance and burnout. And sometimes that line runs straight through the smartest person on your team. T As a tech lead or manager, your job isn’t to cater to ego. It’s to cultivate a culture where everyone can thrive. That means giving your toxic star a path to improve, but never letting them hold the rest of the team hostage. everyone You don’t need to choose between code quality and team sanity. Lead both. And if you play it right, you might just turn your toughest dev into your most surprising success story. Or, at the very least, a slightly less grumpy genius. Got a toxic dev story that ended with a twist? Drop it in the comments.

How to Handle a Dev Who’s Brilliant, Toxic, and Unfireable, if You're a Technical Lead

This article was co-published with WIRED. This article was co-published with WIRED. WIRED Less than 10 days after the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, late last May, Axon Enterprises CEO Rick Smith announced the company had formally started developing Taser-equipped drones. The technology, Smith argued, could potentially save lives during future mass shootings by incapacitating active shooters within seconds. For Axon, which changed its name from Taser in 2017, the concept seemed a sensible next step for stakeholders who share Axon’s public safety mission, Smith said on the company’s site. changed its name from Taser “In brief,” he wrote, “non-lethal drones can be installed in schools and other venues and play the same role that sprinklers and other fire suppression tools do for firefighters: Preventing a catastrophic event, or at least mitigating its worst effects.” Elsewhere, however, the announcement roused significant concern. Only a few weeks before Smith’s announcement, a majority of the members of Axon’s AI Ethics Board—which consisted of a dozen academics, attorneys, activists, and former law enforcement officials—recommended the company not move forward with a pilot study of Taser-armed drones, then called Project ION. The board had spent more than a year considering the Taser-equipped drone project, but had never considered any use case in which it would be a solution to mass shootings. Advisory board members told The Markup that Smith’s announcement was unexpected and made without consultation or input from the ethics body the company had worked relatively well with for the previous four years. In the past, the board’s work prompted Axon to ban facial recognition on its body cameras, out of concern the technology could not be responsibly rolled out. the board’s work ban facial recognition on its body cameras “I begged Rick not to go public with the weaponized drone plan without consulting with the board, as our operating principles required,” Barry Friedman, founder of NYU Law School’s Policing Project and former Axon ethics advisory board chair, told The Markup. Barry Friedman Within a week of the announcement, nine of Axon’s 12-member ethics board resigned, saying in a joint letter that they had “lost faith in Axon’s ability to be a responsible partner.” resigned in a joint letter “Although we all joined this Board understanding that we are advisory only—and have seen Axon reject our advice on some prior occasions—rushing ahead to embrace use of surveillance-enabled, Taser-equipped drones, especially when its Board was urging against unnecessarily precipitate action, is more than any of us can abide,” the exiting members wrote then. In the wake of the board’s dissolution, Axon halted its Taser-drone program temporarily. Former board members, meanwhile, continued to speak out against the company’s efforts. The group released a report in January 2023 criticizing company leaders for “trading on the tragic shootings which had just occurred in Uvalde and Buffalo.” report in January 2023 The report included a number of recommendations about Taser-drone technology, including the need for accuracy and safety thresholds, as well as local lawmakers’ approval and internal department policies governing the drones’ use. Drones deploying force should never be autonomous, either, the ex-board members recommended—a human should make that decision. The former members also noted that in addition to the physical risk of injury or death posed by an electroshock weapon, the proposed devices would rely on surveillance systems that would be triggered by the sound of gunshots, posing privacy and accuracy risks. Additional surveillance in schools might also lead to increased disciplinary action, even for minor offenses, they said. There’s potential for disparate, racist impact here, too, the former members pointed out, saying “Black students are four times more likely to attend a school with a high level of surveillance.” accuracy Weaponized drones are also vulnerable to misuse and might increase how frequently force is used, too, the experts said in their report. “A growing literature on military use of drones notes the unique characteristics of remote use of force—humans appear as figures on a computer screen, and decisions to use force often are made by teams rather than by a single individual,” the experts wrote. This “could lead to dehumanization of individuals targeted by the drone and could diminish operators’ sense of personal moral culpability for their decisions, leading to increased use of force.” said However, Axon still appears to be moving forward with its armed drone plan. “On a longer time horizon, Axon sees opportunities to explore how robotics can expand to include less-lethal robotic payloads and operations,” company leadership said in a statement on its website from April of this year. “While this is still in early concept, we believe with ample research, ethical development and identifying the most amenable use cases, this capability can positively contribute to the future of public safety.” Then, in July, the company acquired Sky-Hero, a company based in Belgium that manufactures drones and unmanned ground vehicles. Sky-Hero has already developed so-called “distraction” technology for some of its drones and rovers that produces the same sound pressure levels as a semiautomatic rifle, it said in the description of a YouTube video demonstrating the tech, acting as a “true non-lethal flashbang.” In interviews with The Markup, former ethics advisory board members expressed concern about the company’s plans to continue developing weaponized drone technology. “Vendors like Axon are selling products to public agencies for the benefit of the public, and I think they have a responsibility to consider the harms their products might cause and to try to mitigate those harms,” said Max Isaacs, a senior staff attorney at the Policing Project who worked with the board. Max Isaacs “Everyone deserves public safety,” Isaacs added. “Everyone wants more public safety. That’s not the question. The question is, when companies sell these products claiming all of these public safety benefits, have they proven those benefits? Has there been any independent testing? Do we know that these products are making us safer? Oftentimes the answer is no.” Isaacs and others The Markup interviewed noted that ethics boards are an imperfect patch for the regulatory void around evolving technology like drones and artificial intelligence. “The fact that we’re relying on companies to set up these advisory boards in order to address the harms of their products is itself a very problematic concept to me,” Isaacs said. Though Axon leadership says it is committed to the “responsible” development of new technology, it’s not clear whether the company is still consulting with ethics experts on the plan. The Markup found that mentions of the former AI ethics board appear to have been removed from the company’s website, including the board’s once-public recommendations and reports. The webpage axon.com/ethics, where the former board’s governing principles and work was hosted, now sends searchers to a letter from Smith announcing the company would pause its Taser-drone plan. In September 2022, the company unveiled its Ethics and Equity Advisory Council, a panel of academics and community leaders who advise Axon on “a limited number of products per year,” according to the company. Axon says the body is independent, but unlike the former ethics board, it is led by an Axon executive vice president. axon.com/ethics the company unveiled The company declined to make members of this group available for interviews. Public reports from the body are not available on its website, nor is a copy of its operating principles. Because ethics is both subjective and not legally binding, it can readily be trumped by capitalist imperatives, said Ryan Calo, a professor at the University of Washington School of Law and a former member of the ethics board at Axon. Ryan Calo “Ethics is important,” said Calo. “Ethics is good. But law needs to be a backstop. Law is the place where society goes to decide what’s forbidden and what’s required.” The End of Killing? The Arizona-based company has not shipped any Taser-equipped drones to any client, it said in a 2022-2023 annual report, the most recent available. It also pledged to never build “lethal” drones. Axon, which launched in 1993, is a premier player in the law enforcement and military technology space. Technology developed by the company, which makes Taser devices and body-worn cameras, is already used by more than 95 percent of state and local law enforcement agencies in the United States, it claims in investor reports. Axon also owns the evidence.com platform, a cloud-based evidence management system for police officers and what the company calls “the world’s leading repository of law enforcement data.” Regarding Taser drones, Axon maintains they should be developed. “We believe there is no organization in the world better suited to develop it the right way,” its most-recent investor report reads. evidence.com Company leadership expects to generate more than $1.5 billion in revenue in 2023, it said in an August investor statement. And by 2025, Rick Smith has set a target of reaching $2 billion. According to its own reports, Axon, which went public in 2001, has generated “over $15 billion in wealth” for its shareholders. Still, the plan to arm drones with Tasers was not universally well-received by Axon’s shareholders, some of whom criticized the company for Smith’s announcement about the weaponized drones. A shareholder proposal submitted by the Jubitz Family Foundation, a Portland, Oregon-based foundation that promotes nonviolent alternatives to conflict, encouraged shareholders to vote to discontinue developing these drones. “Axon proposed using AI surveillance, algorithmic predictors, and virtual reality simulations to stop mass shootings,” the proposal, which was included as part of the company’s 2022-2023 annual report, reads. “Axon did not seek meaningful input from its in-house Community Advisory Coalition, AI Ethics Board, or Vice President of Community Impact prior to the announcement.” After the ethics board’s resignations last year, “Axon has now replaced both the Community Advisory Coalition and the AI Ethics Board with a new advisory council, which Smith still does not commit to heeding,” the foundation added in its proposal. “The rollout of this proposal demonstrates a tremendous failure of management’s self-governance procedures,” the Foundation wrote, and risked not only harming children psychologically and physically, but possible litigation and reputational damage. The Jubitz Family Foundation did not respond to a request for comment on the proposal from The Markup. In a lengthy response to the Jubitz proposal, Axon said robotic security could save lives, slashing gun-related deaths by presenting police with longer range, remotely operable weapons. “Axon is working to reduce violence and displace lethal uses of force with less-lethal alternatives that can save—rather than take—lives,” the company said. “Based on our analysis of the Washington Post’s dataset of fatal officer involved shootings, we estimate that a more effective, longer range handheld TASER device has the potential to reduce fatal officer involved shootings by around 40%,” the company said. “When we run this same analysis looking at instances where police could have utilized a less-lethal capable drone, we estimate that a drone could likely have been used instead of lethal force in 57% of these fatal shootings. When we combine an advanced handheld TASER device together with remotely operated drone and robotic capabilities, we estimate that up to 72% of fatal shootings might be averted.” (The company did not share information about its analysis in response to a question about it.) While Axon technology is used by major police departments and federal agencies including the New York Police Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the Departments of Defense and Justice, according to the company, there isn’t proof that the products are solving the problem of police violence. According to the Washington Post database of fatal police shootings, the number of such shootings was higher in 2022 than it was in any of the previous seven years tracked. And recently, some police unions have argued they should be paid more just to use body cameras, a barrier to critical transparency even where these tools are available. Washington Post database of fatal police shootings some police unions have argued they should be paid more just to use body cameras Axon did not respond directly to questions about whether its new Equity and Ethics Advisory Council is advising it on the weaponized drone program, or whether the company has received any demand from school districts for these products. However, in an emailed statement to the Markup, Axon spokesperson Alex Engel wrote: “Specifically regarding your timing question about bringing a TASER-equipped drone to market: We are learning that the interest in this concept is highest in areas of public safety where it could be most useful in saving the lives of officers and the public. But, we are still in the early stages and do not have any product for purchase. … We continue to explore this concept in our R&D pipeline with a focus on identifying circumstances in which a de-escalation tool like this would be most valuable to help reduce harm.” “Above all, we recognize there needs to be substantial work to ensure the right ethical measures are in place around any such technology,” he wrote. Some further insight into CEO Smith’s vision for this kind of drone technology can be gleaned from his 2019 book, The End of Killing. The End of Killing In a chapter of the book on school safety, Smith presents readers with a fictitious scenario about a daycare center shooting, a tragedy averted because of a Taser-equipped drone, installed in the room and activated by a “AI algorithm …designed to constantly monitor for potential firearm discharge sounds, not all that different from the iPhones of millions of people around the world that are awakened by the ‘Hey Siri’ sound pattern,” Smith writes. An algorithm, Smith writes, would subsequently calculate the direction of the sound, and combined with a panic alert signal system, trigger the drop of a small drone within a second. A “computer vision algorithm” on the drone would detect muzzle flashes. Sensing a probable weapon, he added, police could remotely deploy the Taser-armed drone, shooting electrical impulses “designed to paralyze the human nervous system” toward the shooter. All of this could take place within two seconds of gunfire. Update, September 12, 2023 Update, September 12, 2023 This article has been updated to include an emailed statement from Axon. Credits: Ese Olumhense Investigative Reporter Ese Olumhense Design and Graphics Gabriel Hongsdusit Gabriel Hongsdusit Gabriel Hongsdusit Engagement Maria Puertas Maria Puertas Maria Puertas Copy Editing and Production Monica Riese Monica Riese Monica Riese Editing Ko Bragg
Michael Reilly Ko Bragg Ko Bragg Michael Reilly Michael Reilly Also published here Also published here here Photo by israel palacio on Unsplash Photo by israel palacio on Unsplash israel palacio Unsplash

The Ethics Board of Axon Resigned Over Taser-Armed Drones - Then the Company Went Even Further

feature image: studio Ghibli style recreation of the famous photo of Mira Murati (left), Sam Altman (standing), Greg Brockman, and Ilya Sutskever (right), by ChatGPT (duh) feature image: studio Ghibli style recreation of the famous photo of Mira Murati (left), Sam Altman (standing), Greg Brockman, and Ilya Sutskever (right), by ChatGPT (duh) Remember that weird weekend in November 2023 when Sam Altman got fired from OpenAI and then… sort of hired by Microsoft and then… reinstated at OpenAI in less than a week? I wrote three posts about that drama in between Thanksgiving madness and oh my goodness, SO MUCH has happened since. If I were to catch you up on all things OpenAI and AI related, it would take a book. (For one, I bet if you are reading this story, your relationship with ChatGPT or similar chatbot has significantly changed since 2023. You are probably too distracted to read my article in full and will go to said chatbot to ask for a summary LOL) Sam Altman got fired from OpenAI sort of hired by Microsoft reinstated at OpenAI I wrote three posts about that drama In any case….. In any case….. Now, over a year later, we finally have SOME clarity—thanks to new reporting by Wall Street Journal reporter Keach Hagey, who hunted down all the major sources in the story for over a year, including Sam Altman himself, and conducted over 250 interviews! Shout out to the good folks at the Hard Fork Podcast whose interview finally gave me some much needed closure (ish) on this topic! https://x.com/sama/status/1908163013192069460?embedable=true https://x.com/sama/status/1908163013192069460?embedable=true Tweet above: Sam Altman confirming the authenticity of the book Tweet above: Sam Altman confirming the authenticity of the book So without further ado, here’s what actually happened, what’s changed since then, and how everyone’s kind of regretting everything... but also getting richer? Part 1: What Happened Since (And Why It Matters Even More Now) Since the week after Sam got fired, then unfired in November of 2023, here are a non-exhaustive list of what has happened in that world. The board got reshuffled. Bret Taylor, Larry Summers, and Adam D’Angelo became the new grown-ups in the room. Everyone promised to work on "governance" (lol).
Investigation confirmed the vibes. A law firm (WilmerHale - not to brag but a lot of UWC graduates work here. UWC of course is the education system that trained Mira Murati, and yours truly lol) hired by OpenAI concluded the board's firing of Altman was due to a "loss of trust," not a smoking gun about AI safety or some secret doomsday project. New Board agreed with the findings. Essentially, both old Board and new Board had the same facts; yet the latter had much more favorable views of Sam than the former.
Key people left. Ilya Sutskever (co-founder and chief scientist) and Mira Murati (CTO) both left OpenAI for their own ventures in May and September of 2024, respectively. Ilya now runs a new startup called Safe Superintelligence Inc., which already hit a $30B valuation, while Mira founded Thinking Machines Lab, which aimed at a $9B valuation with $1B raised.
Altman rejoined the board. Because of course he did.
OpenAI went full steam ahead. The tender offer (where employees get to cash out some equity) went through. Sam’s reinstatement as CEO somehow “coincided” with a valuation jump from around $30B to $90B post-chaos. OpenAI is still the belle of the AI ball, and Sam Altman remains its unshakable poster child.
OpenAI is trying to ditch its nonprofit origins. The company is lobbying to loosen the governance shackles imposed by its nonprofit parent—because, you know, it’s really hard to scale capitalism when you technically still report to a nonprofit mission. It’s not like anyone else at that point was still fooled about OpenAI profit mode.
Elon Musk is trolling from the sidelines. Musk (one of OpenAI cofounders to refresh your memory) reportedly offered to buy OpenAI for $97.4 billion, which of course Altman rejected, citing how OpenAI is "not for sale," but the point was made. Musk is of course too busy dealing with “reshaping" the entire US government to close the deal.
AI is going mainstream at breakneck speed. ChatGPT is basically the new Google for a huge chunk of the population, and the recent rollout of GPT-4 Turbo (with native image generation capabilities baked right in, like the 2 images you could see above) only poured rocket fuel on the adoption curve. Everyone from students to startups is using it, often daily, like it’s no big deal. The board got reshuffled. Bret Taylor, Larry Summers, and Adam D’Angelo became the new grown-ups in the room. Everyone promised to work on "governance" (lol). The board got reshuffled. Investigation confirmed the vibes. A law firm (WilmerHale - not to brag but a lot of UWC graduates work here. UWC of course is the education system that trained Mira Murati, and yours truly lol) hired by OpenAI concluded the board's firing of Altman was due to a "loss of trust," not a smoking gun about AI safety or some secret doomsday project. New Board agreed with the findings. Essentially, both old Board and new Board had the same facts; yet the latter had much more favorable views of Sam than the former. Investigation confirmed the vibes. Key people left. Ilya Sutskever (co-founder and chief scientist) and Mira Murati (CTO) both left OpenAI for their own ventures in May and September of 2024, respectively. Ilya now runs a new startup called Safe Superintelligence Inc., which already hit a $30B valuation, while Mira founded Thinking Machines Lab, which aimed at a $9B valuation with $1B raised. Key people left. Altman rejoined the board. Because of course he did. Altman rejoined the board. OpenAI went full steam ahead. The tender offer (where employees get to cash out some equity) went through. Sam’s reinstatement as CEO somehow “coincided” with a valuation jump from around $30B to $90B post-chaos. OpenAI is still the belle of the AI ball, and Sam Altman remains its unshakable poster child. OpenAI went full steam ahead. OpenAI is trying to ditch its nonprofit origins. The company is lobbying to loosen the governance shackles imposed by its nonprofit parent—because, you know, it’s really hard to scale capitalism when you technically still report to a nonprofit mission. It’s not like anyone else at that point was still fooled about OpenAI profit mode. OpenAI is trying to ditch its nonprofit origins. Elon Musk is trolling from the sidelines. Musk (one of OpenAI cofounders to refresh your memory) reportedly offered to buy OpenAI for $97.4 billion, which of course Altman rejected, citing how OpenAI is "not for sale," but the point was made. Musk is of course too busy dealing with “reshaping" the entire US government to close the deal. Elon Musk is trolling from the sidelines. AI is going mainstream at breakneck speed. ChatGPT is basically the new Google for a huge chunk of the population, and the recent rollout of GPT-4 Turbo (with native image generation capabilities baked right in, like the 2 images you could see above) only poured rocket fuel on the adoption curve. Everyone from students to startups is using it, often daily, like it’s no big deal. AI is going mainstream at breakneck speed. Part 2: So what actually caused the firing of Sam Altman? Thanks to Keach Hagey’s new book, coming out in a few weeks, we finally got a sneak peek at the full(ish) story—on the record, from the key players. Contrary to popular belief at the time (AGI is getting close!!!!), it really was about miscommunication, personalities, and interpersonal dynamics in a fast moving industry. The through-line though, was money. was Ilya and Mira were instrumental in flagging Sam’s behavior to the board multiple times prior to the firing. Ilya had major issues with how Sam approached safety/super-alignment research, for years at that point. Independent of Ilya, Mira had also come to the Board with screenshots from her Slack of what she saw as patterns of toxic behaviors (which she apparently had brought up to Sam himself already), for example telling whatever he thinks one wants to hear then promptly going back on his words behind their backs; or siding with Greg Brockman who was supposed to report to Mira on some of his disruptive tendency in teamwork. Both Ilya and Mira were top dogs within OpenAI, one being the cofounder/main researcher, the other Chief Technology Officer, so the Board trusted their judgment over Sam’s. One Board member also personally experienced this pattern of toxic behavior herself (presumably Helen Toner, who published a research paper with more favorable view on Anthropic than OpenAI, its competitor)
They regretted it almost immediately. Both Mira and Ilya expressed their regret almost overnight. In Mira’s telling, she thought the Board would simply get Sam an executive coach as opposed to replacing him with HER. Definitely a bad look if you value organizational harmony. Ilya also did not understand the extent to which the next thing would happen, which was…
Employees almost fully sided with Sam. Why? Not just because he’s charismatic and powerful, but because their own paydays would be jeopardized. At the time, a tender offer valuing company at $90B with low strike price ($30B for existing employees) was on the line. It was a no-brainer to everyone that if Sam was fired, the offer was gonna go away. So essentially, they had to choose between dealing with toxic leadership vs. losing millions. Stuck in between this rock and a hard place - guess which one people chose 😉
The rest is history. Sam got reinstated. Ilya and Mira promptly left. And many, many other OpenAI influential people have also departed since. Ilya and Mira were instrumental in flagging Sam’s behavior to the board multiple times prior to the firing. Ilya had major issues with how Sam approached safety/super-alignment research, for years at that point. Independent of Ilya, Mira had also come to the Board with screenshots from her Slack of what she saw as patterns of toxic behaviors (which she apparently had brought up to Sam himself already), for example telling whatever he thinks one wants to hear then promptly going back on his words behind their backs; or siding with Greg Brockman who was supposed to report to Mira on some of his disruptive tendency in teamwork. Both Ilya and Mira were top dogs within OpenAI, one being the cofounder/main researcher, the other Chief Technology Officer, so the Board trusted their judgment over Sam’s. One Board member also personally experienced this pattern of toxic behavior herself (presumably Helen Toner, who published a research paper with more favorable view on Anthropic than OpenAI, its competitor) Ilya and Mira were instrumental They regretted it almost immediately. Both Mira and Ilya expressed their regret almost overnight. In Mira’s telling, she thought the Board would simply get Sam an executive coach as opposed to replacing him with HER. Definitely a bad look if you value organizational harmony. Ilya also did not understand the extent to which the next thing would happen, which was… They regretted it almost immediately. Employees almost fully sided with Sam. Why? Not just because he’s charismatic and powerful, but because their own paydays would be jeopardized. At the time, a tender offer valuing company at $90B with low strike price ($30B for existing employees) was on the line. It was a no-brainer to everyone that if Sam was fired, the offer was gonna go away. So essentially, they had to choose between dealing with toxic leadership vs. losing millions. Stuck in between this rock and a hard place - guess which one people chose 😉 Employees almost fully sided with Sam. At the time, a tender offer valuing company at $90B with low strike price ($30B for existing employees) was on the line. The rest is history. Sam got reinstated. Ilya and Mira promptly left. And many, many other OpenAI influential people have also departed since. Part 3: Why come clean now? The book also revealed some major details about the big question in probably everyone’s mind, which is: Why now? Why not then? It was such a secretive and confusing firing. Even after WilmerHale and the new Board came out with the new findings, and after many reportings about subsequent departures of key OpenAI people, nobody still really knows WHY he was fired in the first place. And we finally have some answers about why now. Sam initially didn’t want to talk for the book, but eventually did. Why? Presumably because he must think he might have lost a tiny battle, but won the fight. If you remember, back in March of 2023, a letter signed by over 1000 influential people within the AI community calling for the slowdown of AI was signed, notably by some of his competitors like Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak. It’s safe to say that not only AI did not slow down one bit, but its development has been one of the most, if not the most, important tech stories of the past 2-3 years. The industry as a whole had raised over 150 billions since, and 20 billions alone in the first 2 months of 2025. Elon Musk of course has gone on to found X-AI around the same time as signing the letter (lol), and acquired X (formerly Twitter) a year later, in March of 2025, presumably to help a dying company with his new lucrative and definitely overvalued company. So - it’s 1-0 for the accelerationists against the safety first people in AI.


Sam wants to be remembered as one of the greats At the time of his firing, not many people know about Sam, except for a niche community within tech. And now, everybody does. According to Keach Hagey herself, Sam wants to matter. He thinks of himself as one of the great men of history, right alongside Edison and Oppenheimer. In the book, she described a meeting in which Sam mentioned to her that it’s too early to tell the story of OpenAI. So in a way, he thinks that his involvement with OpenAI or even AI as a whole is not all of his story. His ambition goes far beyond AI - he’s thinking at the scale of national identity and economic systems, as hinted in his America Equity essay here. Sam initially didn’t want to talk for the book, but eventually did. Why? Presumably because he must think he might have lost a tiny battle, but won the fight. If you remember, back in March of 2023, a letter signed by over 1000 influential people within the AI community calling for the slowdown of AI was signed, notably by some of his competitors like Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak. It’s safe to say that not only AI did not slow down one bit, but its development has been one of the most, if not the most, important tech stories of the past 2-3 years. The industry as a whole had raised over 150 billions since, and 20 billions alone in the first 2 months of 2025. Elon Musk of course has gone on to found X-AI around the same time as signing the letter (lol), and acquired X (formerly Twitter) a year later, in March of 2025, presumably to help a dying company with his new lucrative and definitely overvalued company. So - it’s 1-0 for the accelerationists against the safety first people in AI. Sam initially didn’t want to talk for the book, but eventually did. Why? Presumably because he must think he might have lost a tiny battle, but won the fight. If you remember, back in March of 2023, a letter signed by over 1000 influential people within the AI community calling for the slowdown of AI was signed, notably by some of his competitors like Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak. It’s safe to say that not only AI did not slow down one bit, but its development has been one of the most, if not the most, important tech stories of the past 2-3 years. The industry as a whole had raised over 150 billions since, and 20 billions alone in the first 2 months of 2025. Elon Musk of course has gone on to found X-AI around the same time as signing the letter (lol), and acquired X (formerly Twitter) a year later, in March of 2025, presumably to help a dying company with his new lucrative and definitely overvalued company. So - it’s 1-0 for the accelerationists against the safety first people in AI. Sam initially didn’t want to talk he must think he might have lost a tiny battle, but won the fight. Sam wants to be remembered as one of the greats At the time of his firing, not many people know about Sam, except for a niche community within tech. And now, everybody does. According to Keach Hagey herself, Sam wants to matter. He thinks of himself as one of the great men of history, right alongside Edison and Oppenheimer. In the book, she described a meeting in which Sam mentioned to her that it’s too early to tell the story of OpenAI. So in a way, he thinks that his involvement with OpenAI or even AI as a whole is not all of his story. His ambition goes far beyond AI - he’s thinking at the scale of national identity and economic systems, as hinted in his America Equity essay here. Sam wants to be remembered as one of the greats At the time of his firing, not many people know about Sam, except for a niche community within tech. And now, everybody does. According to Keach Hagey herself, Sam wants to matter. He thinks of himself as one of the great men of history, right alongside Edison and Oppenheimer. In the book, she described a meeting in which Sam mentioned to her that it’s too early to tell the story of OpenAI. So in a way, he thinks that his involvement with OpenAI or even AI as a whole is not all of his story. His ambition goes far beyond AI - he’s thinking at the scale of national identity and economic systems, as hinted in his America Equity essay here. Sam wants to be remembered as one of the greats America Equity here Part 4: So what now? I feel like I finally understand everything. It looks like the same traits that make Sam so effective at raising money and pushing product are the ones that make him really hard to work with or trust. It’s no coincidence that literally every major player in the AI community has had some kind of messy breakup with the guy, including his own sister (not a AI player, but I just thought it’s noteworthy to point out that his own sister is also suing him). really hard Yet, at the end of the day, everyone involved kinda moved on quickly from the whole incident. The board regrets how they fired him. Ilya and Mira regret triggering the chaos. Employees felt trapped between values and financial upside. Meanwhile, Sam just... wins again. The governance experiment failed. The board was supposed to act as a counterweight to Sam’s unchecked power. But when push came to shove, the company sided with the founder. Like they always do. The nonprofit structure was supposed to safeguard humanity from corporate overreach. Instead, it caved under the same pressures it was built to resist. he nonprofit structure was supposed to safeguard humanity from corporate overreach. Instead, it caved under the same pressures it was built to resist. So what now? We’re back where we started—Sam Altman at the helm, OpenAI chasing AGI, the board trying to stay relevant, and the rest of us watching from the sidelines. Only now we know more about what actually went down—and how fragile the whole setup really was. OpenAI was supposed to be structured differently. Instead, it played out like every other Silicon Valley drama. Power won. Money won. And the guy who believes he’s building the future didn’t just survive—he became inevitable. Boom. Done.

OpenAI Saga Part 4: The firing & unfiring of CEO Sam Altman FINALLY explained

OpenAI Saga Část 4: Vyhození a odvolání generálního ředitele Sama Altmana KONEČNĚ vysvětleno

OpenAI Saga Parte 4: El despido y el despido del CEO Sam Altman finalmente explicado

Saga OpenAI Partie 4 : Le licenciement et le retour du PDG Sam Altman ENFIN expliqués

OpenAI Saga Part 4: Pembongkaran dan pembongkaran CEO Sam Altman Akhirnya dijelaskan

OpenAI Saga Part 4: CEO サム・アルトマン(Sam Altman)の解雇と解雇

OpenAI Saga ნაწილი 4: აღმასრულებელი დირექტორის სემ ალტმანის გათავისუფლება და გათავისუფლება საბოლოოდ განმარტა

OpenAI Saga Part 4: Ny famotsorana sy ny famotsorana ny CEO Sam Altman farany mazava

OpenAI Saga Część 4: W KOŃCU wyjaśniono zwolnienie i odwołanie CEO Sama Altmana

OpenAI Saga Part 4: The firing & unfiring of CEO Sam Altman இறுதியாக விளக்கப்பட்டது

ERROR: invalid target_lang (tg)

OpenAI Saga Bölüm 4: CEO Sam Altman'ın kovulması ve kovulmasının SONUNDA açıklanması

OpenAI Saga Phần 4: Sự sa thải và không sa thải của CEO Sam Altman cuối cùng đã giải thích

As gamers, we are always chasing the next high when it pertains to immersiveness in our games. From the advent of VR to haptic vests and eye tracking, there are tools for every level of immersion short of a full-dive gaming rig. However, with this next piece of gear, we could be one step closer to just that. Allow me to introduce GameScent. GameScent aims to push immersion in gaming even further through its ability to release timed context-relevant scents when specific triggers appear in a game, movie, or TV show. By listening to audio queues through either a 3.5mm audio jack or anHDMI cable, GameScent’s AI can tell what is going on in whatever media you are playing. Then, the device can emit scents like explosions, rain, burning rubber, forest, and more into the air to further immerse you into your show or game. But does it really add to your immersion? Or is this just a gimmick? As someone who’s been testing the device for the past eight months, join me as I review GameScent, diving into its design, performance, and how it enhances the gaming experience with AI scent technology. Unboxing and First Impressions Upon opening the GameScent, I was surprised by how little actually comes in the box. The GameScent device is made up of three parts: an AI audio adapter, atomizer, and scent cartridges. GameScent Device Setup The setup was incredibly simple—the audio adapter plugs into your system just like a capture card would: HDMI in from your console or PC, then HDMI out to your monitor or TV. You can also use a 3.5mm jack to connect, but I haven’t needed to use it yet. The HDMI connection works perfectly for me. The atomizer is plug-and-play—just connect the device to power, and you’re all set. The kit I have came with six basic scents: Gunfire
Explosions
Rain
Burning rubber
Forest
Clean air The proprietary clean air scent neutralizes the others, so once you’re done gaming, the smell of gunfire doesn’t linger. Each scent is screwed into a cap and then added into the atomizer slot that corresponds with that scent number. GameScent’s AI will detect triggers in the game to release relevant scents during gameplay. GameScent App Setup Once your GameScent device is all set up, it’s time to install the app. GameScent has an app that lets you sync your devices to WiFi so they can talk to each other and allows you to control the devices. This is a great feature if you have nice company over and don’t want to have explosion smells going off while “watching” Netflix. Overall, this setup process was remarkably easier than other immersion devices I’ve used. Typically, a gimmicky device wouldn’t have this level of care and access for its backend software or apps. The device itself has a rather impressive build quality. For reference, my cat has knocked it off my desk a number of times in the last eight months, and it’s always booted right back up and worked perfectly. If the device isn’t used for a period of time, it may disconnect from WiFi. However, the app will recognize when this happens and prompt you to reconnect upon opening. On the whole, this device’s setup and build quality are fantastic. You can tell a lot of R&D went into developing not just hardware that will last but also an app that makes the setup process  simple and reliably easy. GameScent Review: Device Performance in Action You can build an exceptionally solid piece of hardware and a quality app to go with it;  however, if the core concept of the device doesn’t elevate your gaming experience, then what’s the point? Over my last eight months of testing and in writing this GameScent review, I’ve sought to answer the question: Does the GameScent device actually improve my gaming experience? To answer this, I’ll be looking at the GamesScent device through three lenses: PvP games, PvE games, and VR. GameScent and Player vs. Player Games My favorite game of all time is League of Legends. No, I’m not a masochist—I just love the game that much. I’ve played League for over 12 years at this point, maining characters like Brand, Fizz, Zed, and other mid-laners. In testing GameScent on League of Legends, I really wanted to see two things: Does the scent release distract me from the game?
Does the scent affect my mental state while playing? In the last eight months, I’ve played over 500 games of League of Legends. My impressions are as follows: I have not found GameScent to be distracting from competitive play. The scents are subtle enough that you can definitely tell they’re there but not so profound as to make me wretch or overwhelm my senses while playing.
If GameScent impacts my mental state while playing, I’d say it helps me get into a flow state faster. I’ve noticed if I’m playing Brand and smell explosions while playing, I get chills. I get hyped. I’m in the zone. If I smell rain while throwing my Fizz ult, it gets me pumped up and ready to dive in. If anything, I’d postulate that GameScent improved my performance in League of Legends—and after playing for 12 years, that’s saying something! GameScent and Player vs. Environment Games When testing PvE games, I played roughly 100 hours of Elden Ring and 100 hours of Cyberpunk. In both games, I completely lost myself in the worlds of the Lands Between and Night City. However, was this due to my use of GameScent? Or do I just love a good story? Smelling the burning rubber of tires and gunfire in a car chase while driving around Night City, it’s hard to argue my experience wasn’t elevated. When streaming, I’d often forget to talk as I was so engrossed in the game. In Elden Ring, fighting the Fire Giant in the DLC was incredible, in part due to GameScent’s AI releasing explosion scents when it attacked. It was epic—an experience I’ll never forget. I can honestly say that without GameScent, these experiences would have been way less memorable and impactful. GameScent and Virtual Reality Now, when it comes to VR, GameScent is an incredibly heavy hitter. If we’re talking about the next step into a full dive rig, this tech is a must-have. Imagine playing SuperHot VR with a haptic vest and gloves and smelling your gunfire as you weave through its stylized dystopia. Or playing Skyrim VR and smelling the rain falling as you walk over a ridge and see Whiterun for the first time. Arguably, VR has the best use case for GameScent as a more immersive gaming experience lends itself to really feeling like you’ve stepped into another world. Whether you play VRChat, RPGs, or VR FPS, GameScent is absolutely SURE to elevate your immersive gaming experience. But is GameScent Just for Gaming? For my GameScent review, I think I’ve conclusively established the device has elevated my gaming experience, but can it be used outside of gaming? GameScent for Movies and TV I’m a massive weeb, and if there’s a way I can be even more immersed into my anime, then I’m going to try it. The good thing is that GameScent isn’t limited to just consoles or PCs. You can connect it to everything from home theater systems to your living room flat screen. From the smell of explosions when boats fire cannons in One Piece to the release of forest scents while watching Game of Thrones, GameScent delivers on its promise to immerse you into your media. GameScent for Tabletop Gaming I’ve also been able to test another fun use case:  tabletop gaming. My friends meet once a month for DnD sessions, and giving our DM the power to release scents to amp up the campaign right at our gaming table has made our sessions insanely fun. The GameScent app lets you manually push prompts to the atomizer to release scents. So, if a dragon breathes fire, then a corresponding scent can be released. Walking in the rain towards a hidden elf village? Push the rain scent. Wizard casts fireball in an enclosed room? Combine the explosion scent with the burning rubber scent to really make it hit home how much destruction was caused. There are all kinds of fun ways to incorporate GameScent into your hobbies. So, I can confidently say no, it’s not just for video games. GameScent Review Final Thoughts I set out to explore a new AI technology in the gaming space and deliver an honest GameScent review. After a thorough eight months of testing, I can confidently say GameScent has enhanced my gaming experience. From upping my win-rate in League of Legends to immersing me into other worlds like Skyrim, Night City, and the Lands Between, GameScent has not just enhanced my gaming experience but also helped me fall in love with gaming again. For a long time, I’ve only played games on stream. Gaming has started to feel like a chore or like work. Since using GameScent, I’ve actually started playing games off-stream again. Recently, I’ve been getting lost in Baldur’s Gate 3, and the way GameScent has an application for every aspect of it is actually incredible. Even my wife has started playing with me and has noticed she gets more into the game when GameScent is running. I can honestly say that going forward I’ll be using GameScent EVERY time I turn on my PC. Join me on TikTok and Twitch to see how I harmonize gaming and cooking—two of my biggest passions. Follow along for more content where I blend immersive gameplay with creative culinary adventures! As gamers, we are always chasing the next high when it pertains to immersiveness in our games. From the advent of VR to haptic vests and eye tracking, there are tools for every level of immersion short of a full-dive gaming rig. However, with this next piece of gear, we could be one step closer to just that. Allow me to introduce GameScent . GameScent GameScent aims to push immersion in gaming even further through its ability to release timed context-relevant scents when specific triggers appear in a game, movie, or TV show. By listening to audio queues through either a 3.5mm audio jack or an HDMI cable, GameScent’s AI can tell what is going on in whatever media you are playing. Then, the device can emit scents like explosions, rain, burning rubber, forest, and more into the air to further immerse you into your show or game. HDMI But does it really add to your immersion? Or is this just a gimmick? As someone who’s been testing the device for the past eight months, join me as I review GameScent, diving into its design, performance, and how it enhances the gaming experience with AI scent technology. Unboxing and First Impressions Upon opening the GameScent, I was surprised by how little actually comes in the box. The GameScent device is made up of three parts: an AI audio adapter, atomizer, and scent cartridges. GameScent Device Setup The setup was incredibly simple—the audio adapter plugs into your system just like a capture card would: HDMI in from your console or PC, then HDMI out to your monitor or TV. You can also use a 3.5mm jack to connect, but I haven’t needed to use it yet. The HDMI connection works perfectly for me. The atomizer is plug-and-play—just connect the device to power, and you’re all set. The kit I have came with six basic scents: Gunfire Explosions Rain Burning rubber Forest Clean air Gunfire Explosions Rain Burning rubber Forest Clean air The proprietary clean air scent neutralizes the others, so once you’re done gaming, the smell of gunfire doesn’t linger. Each scent is screwed into a cap and then added into the atomizer slot that corresponds with that scent number. GameScent’s AI will detect triggers in the game to release relevant scents during gameplay. GameScent App Setup Once your GameScent device is all set up, it’s time to install the app. GameScent has an app that lets you sync your devices to WiFi so they can talk to each other and allows you to control the devices. This is a great feature if you have nice company over and don’t want to have explosion smells going off while “watching” Netflix. Overall, this setup process was remarkably easier than other immersion devices I’ve used. Typically, a gimmicky device wouldn’t have this level of care and access for its backend software or apps. The device itself has a rather impressive build quality. For reference, my cat has knocked it off my desk a number of times in the last eight months, and it’s always booted right back up and worked perfectly. If the device isn’t used for a period of time, it may disconnect from WiFi. However, the app will recognize when this happens and prompt you to reconnect upon opening. On the whole, this device’s setup and build quality are fantastic. You can tell a lot of R&D went into developing not just hardware that will last but also an app that makes the setup process  simple and reliably easy. GameScent Review: Device Performance in Action You can build an exceptionally solid piece of hardware and a quality app to go with it;  however, if the core concept of the device doesn’t elevate your gaming experience, then what’s the point? Over my last eight months of testing and in writing this GameScent review, I’ve sought to answer the question: Does the GameScent device actually improve my gaming experience? To answer this, I’ll be looking at the GamesScent device through three lenses: PvP games, PvE games, and VR. GameScent and Player vs. Player Games My favorite game of all time is League of Legends. No, I’m not a masochist—I just love the game that much. I’ve played League for over 12 years at this point, maining characters like Brand, Fizz, Zed, and other mid-laners. In testing GameScent on League of Legends, I really wanted to see two things: Does the scent release distract me from the game? Does the scent affect my mental state while playing? Does the scent release distract me from the game? Does the scent affect my mental state while playing? In the last eight months, I’ve played over 500 games of League of Legends. My impressions are as follows: I have not found GameScent to be distracting from competitive play. The scents are subtle enough that you can definitely tell they’re there but not so profound as to make me wretch or overwhelm my senses while playing. If GameScent impacts my mental state while playing, I’d say it helps me get into a flow state faster. I’ve noticed if I’m playing Brand and smell explosions while playing, I get chills. I get hyped. I’m in the zone. If I smell rain while throwing my Fizz ult, it gets me pumped up and ready to dive in. I have not found GameScent to be distracting from competitive play. The scents are subtle enough that you can definitely tell they’re there but not so profound as to make me wretch or overwhelm my senses while playing. If GameScent impacts my mental state while playing, I’d say it helps me get into a flow state faster. I’ve noticed if I’m playing Brand and smell explosions while playing, I get chills. I get hyped. I’m in the zone. If I smell rain while throwing my Fizz ult, it gets me pumped up and ready to dive in. If anything, I’d postulate that GameScent improved my performance in League of Legends—and after playing for 12 years, that’s saying something! GameScent and Player vs. Environment Games When testing PvE games, I played roughly 100 hours of Elden Ring and 100 hours of Cyberpunk. In both games, I completely lost myself in the worlds of the Lands Between and Night City. However, was this due to my use of GameScent? Or do I just love a good story? Smelling the burning rubber of tires and gunfire in a car chase while driving around Night City, it’s hard to argue my experience wasn’t elevated. When streaming, I’d often forget to talk as I was so engrossed in the game. In Elden Ring, fighting the Fire Giant in the DLC was incredible, in part due to GameScent’s AI releasing explosion scents when it attacked. It was epic—an experience I’ll never forget. I can honestly say that without GameScent, these experiences would have been way less memorable and impactful. GameScent and Virtual Reality Now, when it comes to VR, GameScent is an incredibly heavy hitter. If we’re talking about the next step into a full dive rig, this tech is a must-have. Imagine playing SuperHot VR with a haptic vest and gloves and smelling your gunfire as you weave through its stylized dystopia. Or playing Skyrim VR and smelling the rain falling as you walk over a ridge and see Whiterun for the first time. Arguably, VR has the best use case for GameScent as a more immersive gaming experience lends itself to really feeling like you’ve stepped into another world. Whether you play VRChat, RPGs, or VR FPS, GameScent is absolutely SURE to elevate your immersive gaming experience. But is GameScent Just for Gaming? For my GameScent review, I think I’ve conclusively established the device has elevated my gaming experience, but can it be used outside of gaming? GameScent for Movies and TV I’m a massive weeb, and if there’s a way I can be even more immersed into my anime, then I’m going to try it. The good thing is that GameScent isn’t limited to just consoles or PCs. You can connect it to everything from home theater systems to your living room flat screen. From the smell of explosions when boats fire cannons in One Piece to the release of forest scents while watching Game of Thrones, GameScent delivers on its promise to immerse you into your media. GameScent for Tabletop Gaming I’ve also been able to test another fun use case:  tabletop gaming. My friends meet once a month for DnD sessions, and giving our DM the power to release scents to amp up the campaign right at our gaming table has made our sessions insanely fun. The GameScent app lets you manually push prompts to the atomizer to release scents. So, if a dragon breathes fire, then a corresponding scent can be released. Walking in the rain towards a hidden elf village? Push the rain scent. Wizard casts fireball in an enclosed room? Combine the explosion scent with the burning rubber scent to really make it hit home how much destruction was caused. There are all kinds of fun ways to incorporate GameScent into your hobbies. So, I can confidently say no, it’s not just for video games. GameScent Review Final Thoughts I set out to explore a new AI technology in the gaming space and deliver an honest GameScent review. After a thorough eight months of testing, I can confidently say GameScent has enhanced my gaming experience. From upping my win-rate in League of Legends to immersing me into other worlds like Skyrim, Night City, and the Lands Between, GameScent has not just enhanced my gaming experience but also helped me fall in love with gaming again. For a long time, I’ve only played games on stream. Gaming has started to feel like a chore or like work. Since using GameScent, I’ve actually started playing games off-stream again. Recently, I’ve been getting lost in Baldur’s Gate 3, and the way GameScent has an application for every aspect of it is actually incredible. Even my wife has started playing with me and has noticed she gets more into the game when GameScent is running. I can honestly say that going forward I’ll be using GameScent EVERY time I turn on my PC. Join me on TikTok and Twitch to see how I harmonize gaming and cooking—two of my biggest passions. Follow along for more content where I blend immersive gameplay with creative culinary adventures! TikTok Twitch

GameScent Review: Enhancing Gaming with AI Technology

GameScent uñakipaña: Tecnología AI ukamp anatañanak jach’anchayaña

Reseña de GameScent: mejora de los juegos con tecnología de inteligencia artificial

GameScent Review: AI Teknologiarekin jokoak hobetu

GameScent recenzija: Poboljšanje igranja s AI tehnologijom

GameScent Review. Խաղերի ընդլայնում AI տեխնոլոգիայով

GameScent レビュー: AI テクノロジーでゲームを強化

GameScent 리뷰: AI 기술로 게임 강화

GameScent Review: AI технологиясы менен оюнду жакшыртуу

Recenzja GameScent: Ulepszanie gier dzięki technologii AI

Dib u eegista GameScent: Kobcinta ciyaaraha ee tignoolajiyada AI

Mapitio ya GameScent: Kuimarisha Michezo ya Kubahatisha kwa Teknolojia ya AI

GameScent İncelemesi: Yapay Zeka Teknolojisiyle Oyun Deneyimini Geliştirme

Violence Detection in Videos: Proposed Approach

ভিডিওতে সহিংসতা সনাক্তকরণ: প্রস্তাবিত পদ্ধতি

Gewalterkennung in Videos: Vorgeschlagener Ansatz

Detección de violencia en videos: enfoque propuesto

Détection de la violence dans les vidéos : approche proposée

वीडियो में हिंसा का पता लगाना: प्रस्तावित दृष्टिकोण

動画内の暴力検出: 提案されたアプローチ

비디오의 폭력 감지: 제안된 접근 방식

Detecção de violência em vídeos: abordagem proposta

Обнаружение насилия в видео: предлагаемый подход

Videolarda Şiddet Tespiti: Önerilen Yaklaşım

Phát hiện bạo lực trong video: Phương pháp đề xuất

视频中的暴力检测：建议的方法

Everything We Know About Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2: Gameplay, Story, Latest News

The Battle of the North Atlantic

Hunger is My Name

Survey on Acoustic Sensors in Self-Driving Cars

Stories, News & Mentions about SUNFIRE

Trending Topics

Classic

Neon Noir

Minty

Newspaper

HN StartUps