SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " Store " 2,946 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Final Fantasy VII Revelation Store Page Lists Multiple DLC And 'Story Expansion'
Placeholders or something more?
Final Fantasy 7 Revelation Could Be Getting Story DLC
A listing on the Epic Game Store database points to multiple DLCs
Final Fantasy 7 Revelation store page lists multiple DLCs, including story expansion
Last month, we reported that Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, the final chapter of the acclaimed trilogy that is set to launch on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027, could receive DLC after release. While the game is still a long way off, new evidence has surfaced suggesting that may indeed be the case. According to EpicDB, a third-party tool that tracks...
Final Fantasy 7 Revelation Getting Story Expansion Pass, Store Leak Suggests
Final Fantasy 7 fans are getting excited for a new Story Expansion pass that has been glimpsed as part of a new store leak.
Multiple Final Fantasy VII Revelation DLC packs have been listed on the Epic Games Store
The EpicDB listings reveal a Final Fantasy VII Revelation Premium Edition, Premium Plus Edition, Story Expansion Pass, and more.
SF grant program fills empty neighborhood storefronts
Latest round provided support to nearly 40 local business owners.
Immigrant-owned small businesses take center stage at pop-up storefront in Philadelphia's Market East
The Welcoming Center has opened a pop-up storefront for immigrant small business owners.
Walmart goes nuclear in first-of-its-kind power deal for retail giant
The retail giant has signed its first nuclear power deal with Constellation for about 176 megawatts from the Dresden Clean Energy Center in Illinois.
Everett water main break forces business closures
Water service along a section of West Marine View Drive was shut off around 1 p.m. Tuesday. The city expects to restore it Wednesday afternoon.
Google Gemini Spark Comes to Mac With Local File Automation
Google today launched Gemini Spark for its macOS desktop app, allowing the AI agent to automate tasks involving local files and desktop workflows. Google announced the update today, adding a dedicated Spark tab to the sidebar of the Gemini app for macOS. The feature allows the AI agent to take action on files stored locally on a user's computer rather than just responding to questions in a chat window.
Oregon store pauses Yu-Gi-Oh! card game competitions after complaints about players’ hygiene
The issue of hygiene in competitive gaming has prompted major publishers, including Yu-Gi-Oh! publisher Konami, to enact formal regulations in the past
Oregon store suspends Yu-Gi-Oh tournaments due to hygiene concerns
An Oregon game store announced it is suspending Yu-Gi-Oh card game tournaments for one week due to complaints about the hygiene of attendees.
Sony announces an end to the PS3 and Vita digital stores
The company describes it as "not an easy decision to make", and describes it as a resource allocation decision.
Sony is closing the PS3 and Vita digital stores
The virtual PS3 store will close in select markets this year, with global closures for PS3 and PS Vita following in 2027.
Sony Shutting Down PlayStation Store for New Purchases on PS3 and Vita
Sony has announced the closure of its PlayStation Store on the PS3 and Vita, beginning next month in certain countries.
Sony will cease production of discs for new PlayStation games in 2028
New games sold for PlayStation consoles will only be available digitally and won’t be sold on discs effective January 2028, Sony has announced. The move applies to all PlayStation games released from that point on, including those made by Sony and those released by third parties. The PlayStation group calls the change “a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” according to a PlayStation blog post reviewed by Game File in advance of its publication. As movies, TV and music have shifted from physical media to an age of downloads and streaming, Sony’s move could speed the demise of physical media in a gaming. The industry has offered consumers games via cartridges, cassettes, floppy discs, CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays across a 50-year stretch. Sony has been reporting to investors in recent years that PlayStation games have been increasingly purchased as downloads, not as discs. The most recent figures show nearly four in five purchases of full games for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were purchased digitally in the past year. Stats like that may cause today’s news to carry an air of the inevitable. But Sony’s declaration for 2028 is still likely to produce a shock, as the biggest gaming platform on the planet that uses game discs leaves them behind. Discs going away, but the fate of game boxes is unknown Sony is committing to still selling games in physical retailers even after they drop discs in 2028. Just how those games will be sold—in boxes with codes inside, as cards marked with digital redemption codes—is unclear. Digital games will also continue to be sold in the online PlayStation Store. New games released for PlayStation consoles prior to January 2028 will be unaffected by the policy change, Sony says. That means the PS5 games of 2027, be they a new Madden, a new God of War, a new Call of Duty, a new Sly Cooper (one can dream?), would still potentially be offered on disc. PlayStation 6 implications Sony’s timeline for a transition to a no-disc era will also spin up more speculation about the timing and configuration of Sony’s next-generation console, the probable PlayStation 6. “This pretty much guarantees that PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest,” Piers Harding-Rolls, senior games research analyst at Ampere Analysis tells Game File. Harding-Rolls also concludes from today’s news that “the base version of a PS6 will not include a physical media drive,” as Sony looks to keep costs down on the device. Sony itself is saying nothing about the PS6 today: not its timing, nor how it might or might not support internal or external disc drives in order to run disc-based PS4 and PS5 games, should the console be backwards compatible. The many signs this was coming Industry support for games being released on physical media has been waning. As has consumer interest in them. PC games effectively went all-digital years ago, thanks to the popularity of playing games through Steam and other digital storefronts. The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that kept much of the global population home helped shift shopping patterns toward downloads. Sony’s own data shows PlayStation game downloads being an uncommon consumer choice a decade ago and now becoming the norm. On consoles, physical media has been in such decline that Sony and Microsoft both launched their current gen Xbox Series and PS5 consoles in 2020 with cheaper versions that lacked disc drives. In early 2024, Phil Spencer, then head of Xbox, told me that ““[w]e ship games physically and digitally, and we’re really just following what the customers are doing.” He added that the game industry had become an outlier in still supporting disc-based entertainment, even as movies and TV have bailed on discs in favor of downloads and steaming: “Gaming consoles themselves have kind of become the last consumer electronic device that has a drive. And this is a real issue, just in terms of the number of manufacturers that are actually building drives and the cost associated with those. And when you think about cogs that we’re going to go put in a console—and as you have fewer suppliers and fewer buyers—the cost of the drive does have an impact.” Last year, the Nintendo’s Switch 2, which uses cartridges rather than discs, introduced the concept of game-key cards, which are physical media that contain no game, just a prompt for a download. Even disc-based games aren’t what they once were, now frequently containing just stubs of games rather than the whole thing. The website Does It Play has tested over 3000 games and found that, for example, that the disc version of this year’s hit 007: First Light, only contained the game’s first mission, with the rest needing to be downloaded. Beyond all that, last week brought the news that Grand Theft Auto VI, likely the biggest game launch this decade, will debut for PS5 and Xbox Series without a disc-based version. Today’s big news comes to you for free. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and ensure more of my work is possible, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Discs helped define PlayStation However the trends in entertainment may be going, it is still remarkable to see PlayStation ditch discs given their importance in PlayStation history: In the late 1990s, the first PlayStation’s support for games on relatively cheap CD-ROMs instead of traditional game cartridges allowed the upstart console to outmaneuver cartridge-based systems from Nintendo and Sega, as it drove down game prices down in the process. (The cheaper disc format even prompted Final Fantasy VII maker Square to taunt Nintendo in a magazine ad, saying that if the game was “available on cartridge, it’d retail for around $1200.”) PlayStation devices often doubled as machines for watching movies and TV on the latest disc-based formats. In the late 2000s, for example, Sony’s pricy PS3 gained traction as a go-to device for playing then-novel Blu-Ray discs. In 2013, Sony effectively roasted the digital game-sharing restrictions proposed by rival Microsoft for its upcoming Xbox One console by showing how games could be shared for the then-upcoming PS4. In a 21-second clip that has over 20 million views on YouTube, one PlayStation executive simply handed a game box—presumably with disc inside—to another, who said “thanks.” Sony’s possible motivations The PlayStation announcement today cites “consumer preferences” and a shift away from discs among “the broader entertainment industry,” but does not delve into the decision-making process that brought Sony to this point. Sony is not discussing the economics of this move (I asked!), but there are a number of potential factors: Abandoning discs will spare Sony the cost of manufacturing and shipping them, which analysts and industry veterans I spoke to said could account for $1 or so of a game’s retail price. For first-party games, that’s direct savings for Sony, though the amount is limited by the winnowing percentage of people who were even buying the disc-based versions. For third-party games, Sony could pass the savings on to partners or just retain the better profit margin for themselves. As the 2024 comments from Phil Spencer alluded to, leaving discs behind could mean leaving disc-drives behind, allowing Sony to produce consoles more cheaply. Switching to digital-only for games could diminish the risks of copies of new games leaking. It would also seemingly make second-hand sales of used games impossible, pushing more people to buy their own copies of games. These economic benefits for Sony could be boons for the games industry overall, Ampere analyst Piers Harding-Rolls tells Game File. Among other things, it could free publishers and retailers from having to worry about securing an inventory of game discs when trying to sell games, he noted. “If there is a way to streamline the business of games retail, I generally think it’s a good thing for the industry as it removes unnecessary costs,” Harding-Rolls said. “This will help offset pressure on margins from other directions – development and staffing costs for example.” Should the industry shift from game boxes that contain discs to smaller, cheaper game cards, Harding-Rolls said, that reduces pressure on publishers and retailers. “The advantage of everything going digital for the industry is that sales can be tracked much more easily and there is less commercial risk for publishers wanting to continue selling via retail,” he said. The shift to no discs will also likely impact game development timelines, as developers will no longer face the same urgency to have a build ready to submit to PlayStation for the production of a disc, as industry experts noted around GTA VI’s no-disc news last week. Instead, projects may gain weeks of development time, in the event delivery deadlines for platform approval move closer to release date. Preservationists’ likely worries While millions of gamers have shifted to digital, there are still people who associate game discs—and only game discs—with actual ownership of PlayStation games. That portion of the gaming community spoke up last week about wanting to buy a version of GTA VI that they could hold in their hands, could lend to a friend and could potentially pop into a well-preserved PS5 console three decades from now and still see it run. Such gamers didn’t want to worry that they’d merely purchased a digital copy that could lose access to the game if, say, the company behind the game someday turns of the servers that transmit downloadable copies. Digital copies of games are inherently less long-lasting, because consumers aren’t actually buying a game (on a disc), just buying access to the game. The fine print in online gaming shops notes this, as does a recent law that went on the books in California in 2025. That lasw requires game publishers doing business in the state to refrain from words like “sell” when offering digital copies of games, unless they explicitly tell consumers that what’s being sold isn’t the game itself but a potentially revocable license to access it. A Sony spokesperson noted to Game File that “[w]ith all digital content, including games, movies, and music, players are purchasing a personal license for non-commercial use.” Regarding the fears of PlayStation games being lost to time in an all-digital era, the rep also noted that Sony remains “committed to delivering experiences from past generations to the new platforms our players are using.” They noted that PlayStation has used emulation and remasters to keep offering its classic games to modern gamers. It’s true that many consumers have become accustomed to not having physical copies of new music albums or movies, but the relative precariousness of digital copies of games is in fact being highlighted today by…. Sony’s other big announcement: the upcoming closure of the PS3 and PS Vita online stores Sony said today that it will be closing the online marketplaces for its PlayStation 3 console and PS Vita handheld in most countries in July 2027 (sooner elsewhere: August 2026 for the PS3 store Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua; late 2026 for PS3 in other Latin American countries and the Middle East). “We know this news may be disappointing to PS3 and PS Vita players who hold a special place in their hearts for this generation of gaming,” Sony said in its announcement, saying the move “was not an easy decision for us to make.” Sony said that PS3 and Vita marketplaces “are no longer able” to support modern commerce systems, prompting a “need” to close the shops and focus on more modern PlayStation platform stores. The news may spark some deja vu. Sony announced back in March 2021 that it planned to take the PS3, Vita and PlayStation Portable marketplaces offline that summer. The move would have caused some 2,000 digital-only games to become unavailable for new purchasers, according to a VGC analysis at the time. Fans complained loudly. By April 2021, Sony walked back the PS3 and Vita shop closures, with then PlayStation boss Jim Ryan saying “it’s clear that we made the wrong decision here.” This time around, Sony is giving a longer notice period in most regions. The closure of those stores is still likely to cut off access to new purchases of digital-only PS3 and Vita games. The current PlayStation 5 marketplace sells PS5 and PS4 games, as well as a selection of PS1 and PS2 games. It does not sell PS3 games, because games for that platform can’t run on the system (some are offered via a PlayStation Plus streaming option). Vita games also aren’t sold via PS5. Sony says digitally purchased PS3 and Vita games will be downloadable after the stores’ shutdowns “for the foreseeable future.” Sony’s move contrasts with Microsoft’s Xbox platform, which continues to sell and support games from all four Xbox console generations. But it puts it in line with Nintendo, which disabled purchases in the marketplace for its Wii console (a contemporary of the PS3) in 2019. Nintendo discontinued purchases in the online shop for its 3DS portable (a contemporary of the Vita) in 2023. The big questions about Sony’s 2028 post-disc era Will Microsoft follow suit, ending support for new disc-based games on Xbox platforms and therefore all game consoles, too? Whether Microsoft does or not, will third-parties that can no longer release games on discs for PlayStation, simply ditch the disc options across the board? Given the GTA VI no-disc experiment launching this November, will more game publishers decide to forgo disc-based offerings even in 2027? How will no-disc PS5/6 games be packaged and sold in brick-and-mortar retail stores? What becomes of game sharing in an all-digital era? Will Sony modify its current set-up, which currently allows some sharing of digital games across a pair of consoles, to allow more casual lending? (See for example, Nintendo’s year-old system of letting players lend a digital game to another player in a “family group” for up to 14 days.) Will there be a version of a PS6 with a disc drive? Or will a drive be offered as an add-on? And how will gamers who want to retain access to PS4/PS5 disc-based games react to whichever configurations Sony chooses to offer? What will the final disc-based PlayStation game be?
The PlayStation Stores On PlayStation 3 And Vita Are Shutting Down
Starting this year and into 2027, Sony is sunsetting the digital storefront for two of its oldest online store platforms.
Physical disc production ending in January 2028 for new games releasing on PlayStation consoles
In response to shifting trends in consumer preference, new games will be released on PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital formats only.
Smart voices in tech react to return of Anthropic's Fable and Mythos
Anthropic restores Fable 5 AI model after the Trump administration lifted export controls. Here's what people in tech are saying about the saga.
Urban Aftermath Books to close storefront after 11 years in business
Owner Hassan Elminyawi said the bookshop will be closing on Sunday.
Waynesboro offers new grants for local businesses
Waynesboro is offering new grants to help local businesses improve storefronts and boost tourism marketing efforts.
Google rolling out Pixel Camera 10.4
Pixel Camera 10.4 is now more widely rolling out via the Google Play Store as a minor update. We’re not seeing any user-facing changes...
iPhone 18 Pro leaks: Qualcomm or Apple C2 model, A20 details, camera upgrades
After a closer look at some new data, Apple's iPhone 18 Pro modem situation may not be cut-and-dried. Here's what the latest leaks say is in store for cellular connectivity, the A20 chip, and possible camera improvements.
Cruis'n Blast has been delisted from the Nintendo Switch eShop
Out of nowhere, Cruis’n Blast has been delisted from the Nintendo eShop. As far as we’re aware, the arcade racer has been available since launching on Nintendo Switch almost five years ago. Unfortunately, that’s no longer the case as of today. Looking the game up on the Nintendo eShop now provides zero results. We checked both the North American store...
Business Owner with Down Syndrome Expresses 'Gratitude' as He Celebrates First Retail Store Opening
John’s Crazy Socks launched online in 2016, and has shipped half a million to date
Disastrous GTA 6 Pre-Order Numbers Revealed By Store Staff
GTA 6 pre-orders opened last Thursday and it is speculated millions, potentially tens of millions of people, have already parted ways with $70 to $100 ahead of launch. However, physical sales of t…
Landlord-tenant spat at center of Highland Park's retail losses
Uncharacteristic store closures in popular Highland Park linked to landlord-tenant dispute that's headed to court.
Google Play Store is getting faster everywhere, from your Android phone to your car's dashboard
Google Play Store is becoming faster across phones, tablets, TV, Wear OS, and Android Auto, and receiving a bunch of new Store features.
Meta Summer Sale Offers Massive Savings On Hundreds Of Quest Games
Meta Horizon Store's "Peak Summer Sale" is on, offering major savings on hundreds of Quest, games, apps, and DLC. Here are some of the best deals.
Beloved gas station pizza chain CEO reveals 400-store expansion plan as food business booms
Casey's General Stores plans to add at least 400 new locations over three years while expanding its prepared food menu with wings and fries.
Health-E Commerce® Announces Telehealth Collaboration with Audien Hearing to Expand Access to FSA- and HSA-Eligible Hearing Aids Available on FSA Store® and HSA Store®
/PRNewswire/ -- Health-E Commerce®, parent brand to FSA Store® and HSA Store®, the first and leading online stores dedicated to selling only products and...
July’s Miniature of the Month and collectable coin revealed
See what you can get if you head to your local Warhammer store in July.
Brookline party store, Chinese restaurant both close after decades in business
Golden Temple was open to Brookline residents for 66 years, while Party Favors was in business for 35 years.
Laramie County health and food inspections (6/19/26–6/25/26)
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department inspects restaurants, bars, convenience stores, delis, grocery stores, bed and breakfasts
Natrona County health and food inspections (6/19/26–6/25/26)
CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper-Natrona County Health Department inspects restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, mobile food units, commissaries and
Sony will pull Studio Canal purchases for European users
The trend of revoking access to digital purchases continues, this time affecting European customers of Sony's PlayStation Store.
The 10 'Most Wishlisted' Upcoming Xbox Games According To Microsoft
Based on the MS Store's new filter
Amazon seller reveals rare glimpse of shadow bribery market
An international black market has been a persistent scourge of Amazon's online store.
From Photo Backups to My Own Cloud Server: My Trip Into Home Data Storage
I just wanted to store my files safely. I ended up opening a Pandora's box of complications.
Pharr grocery store to close after nearly 100 years in business
After nearly 100 years in business, the historic M Rivas Supermarket in Pharr is closing its doors, marking the end of a multi-generational Rio Grande Valley legacy.
Esports means business for new generation of fans
Valhallan, a youth esports training organization, hosted a grand reopening of its second Long Island storefront in Wantagh on Saturday.
PlayStation is pulling "previously purchased" digital movies from users' libraries
Sony has written to customers to advise that hundreds of "previously purchased" digital movies previously available via its online store will "be removed".
Sony is deleting over 550 purchased movies from PS5 users’ digital libraries
PlayStation says a licensing agreement means users will no longer be able to access some purchased videos…
US close to allowing Anthropic to restore Fable 5 model, Axios reports
The Trump administration is close to allowing Anthropic to restore access to its Fable 5 model, Axios reported on Saturday, citing a source close to the situation.
‘Pineapple Days’ sidewalk sale draws business to Lincoln stores amid downtown construction
Cinnamon Dokken, owner of A Novel Idea Bookstore, said it was named for the Lemon Days sidewalk sales that many businesses around Lincoln used to do, instead using pineapples.
New for MNSSHP 2026: Captain Jack Sparrow Leads Pirate Entertainment in Adventureland
Captain Jack Sparrow joins MNSSHP 2026 in Adventureland with a new pirate entertainment act. The Rusty Cutlass band has not appeared on any confirmed 2026 lineup yet.
Public health alert issued for chicken sold at popular grocery store in the Tri-State area
A public health alert was issued for chicken sold at a popular grocery store chain in the Tri-State area.
Colonial Market owner closes south Minneapolis location due to sharp drop in business following Metro Surge
Colonial Market owner Daniel Hernandez has closed the chain’s south Minneapolis location, which he said never recovered after the store’s employees and customers were targeted during Operation Metro Surge.
Gemini’s new Google Play Store integration lets you chat to find Android apps, games
As previewed at I/O 2026 last month, the Gemini app on Android now integrates with the Google Play Store...
Civility advocates look for ways to restore 'Iowa Nice' to campaigns, public discourse
A group of former and current officeholders are looking to encourage civility by encouraging civic participation and civil interactions.
Seattle’s Pioneer Square lands a new retailer
A bespoke diamond jewelry company opened a store in Pioneer Square. The CEO is optimistic about its future in downtown Seattle.
Target rolls out new attendance tracking system for workers
Target's new point-based attendance tracking system rolls out in the coming months, the latest of several changes aimed at improving store operations.
Game On Retro owner plans entertainment empire expansion, Coram movie theater transformation
Plans include opening a new arcade, store and transforming a shuttered movie theater in Coram.
Supreme Court strikes down Hawaii law requiring permission to carry guns in stores and hotels
The high court's 6-3 decision means people can carry guns onto privately owned property like shopping malls and gas stations, unless the owners specifically say guns are banned at their establishments.
Business Briefs: June 26, 2026
Art Deviation Gallery moves GREENFIELD — Art Deviation Gallery & Store has moved from 365 Main St. to inside Whitney Hill Antiques, one-third of a mile away. Collaborators JJ White and Lee Matthew started selling items out of the 50-square-foot space they rent on Feb. 1 and closed the former location later that month. “A […]
How should European scientists respond to the US AI kill switch?
Earlier in June, Europe’s worst fears of technological dependence were confirmed when the White House ordered the AI firm Anthropic to stop non-US citizens using its leading models. This kill-switch moment crystalised anxieties in Brussels that the continent, lagging the US on the creation of leading-edge AI models, is now a technological of vassal of Washington. The shock has specific implications for European scientists and universities. Some governments are now worried that with AI being integrated into labs, Donald Trump now has his finger hovering over an off switch for European science. “Having restrictions on this tool, it can have an impact on our own research,” said France’s research minister, Philippe Baptiste, at the VivaTech conference in Paris on June 18.Baptiste, himself a former academic, said that colleagues in mathematics had recently warned him they were now cut off from leading-edge US models, risking their work. “This model is not available anymore now because of the US restriction, and for the first time this had an impact on mathematics,” a field where large language models (LLMs) are making a significant contribution, said Baptiste. So, should European scientists avoid relying on US models in the future? Or would this be a self-harming overreaction? And how is AI being used in science, anyway? What happened?On June 12, it emerged that Washington, citing cybersecurity concerns, had ordered Anthropic to stop non-US citizens using two models: Claude Mythos 5, and Claude Fable 5, a version of Mythos but with guardrails to prevent abuse. Anthropic said Washington’s concerns were overblown. But forced to follow the order, yet with no way to check who was using the models, the company suddenly shut down access for everyone, US citizens included. There’s still no agreement on how to restore broad access. But last week, Bloomberg reported that select US companies, and the US government, still had access to Mythos despite the ban, but the EU’s cybersecurity agency Enisa had been shut out. Class division of researchersIn the longer term, access outside the US should be restored, said Marcel Salathé, co-director of the AI centre at the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL), because a permanent restriction would be financially ruinous to US AI firms. “Even Trump will eventually budge to economic pressure,” he said.However, US AI firms might end up operating rather like banks, doing due diligence on users of their leading-edge AI models, he went on.European scientists are unlikely to fall foul of such checks, he said. But having a Chinese postgraduate in their lab, or doing a type of research the US disapproved of, could potentially result in access being denied. “It will create a sort of class division of researchers,” he said. More than frontier modelsHowever, successfully deploying AI in science is about far more than just having access to leading LLMs such as Mythos.Instead, many science-specific tools, most famously Alphafold, which predicts protein folding structures, require “far less” computing power to train than frontier models, well within the capabilities of European supercomputers, according to a recent analysis by the Arq Foundation, a Brussel-based AI think tank. Instead, tools such as Alphafold are possible because certain fields, like protein folding, weather prediction or astronomy, have large, clean, standardised datasets that can be used to train predictive models. Rather than compute, “data is the central constraint for AI for science,” the report says. For example, a less powerful physics model trained on CERN’s data “will be more valuable than the best model without certain data,” said Bengüsu Özcan, author of the report. European advantage?Europe could therefore steal a march by using its scientific data and infrastructure to create models US digital giants cannot. “They might actually match or go even beyond what these big [US] companies are doing,” said Özcan.Indeed, some European start-ups hope to create automated testing labs to create the kind of standardised data that could speed up the discovery of new materials. Materials scientists say there’s currently too little data to train models. AI scientistsHowever, even if the bottleneck for AI in science is often data, rather than compute, being at the mercy of the US for LLM access could still become a problem for European scientists. A new class of “AI scientists” based on leading LLMs is also emerging, Özcan’s report says.Unlike domain-specific tools like Alphafold, these try to automate day-to-day scientific work, by providing an overarching tool that coordinates specific models to synthesise existing literature, generate hypotheses or run analysis of data. The problem for Europe, however, is that these tools are sometimes based on US leading models. Google Deepmind’s AI Co-Scientist, for example, is built on Google’s Gemini LLM. Systematic failureThese scientific automation tools are still in their early stages, and still exhibit “systematic failures on scientific tasks,” Özcan’s report says. One of the problems is that the messy, day-to-day process of scientific discovery is largely not documented, meaning LLMs don’t have a good source of data to learn how scientists actually work. Meanwhile, some tasks, such as literature synthesis, don’t typically require access to leading edge models.However, the performance of AI scientific assistants could improve as companies such as Google pour resources into developing them. Rely on US“Unfortunately, for scientific assistants, there is not much we can do right now except rely on US frontier AI,” said Antoine Bosselut, a natural language processing expert based at EPFL. Chinese-built open models, which can run on local computers, lessening the risk of a shutdown, are touted as one alternative to US dependence. There’s also Mistral, once seen as Europe’s main AI hope, but the Paris-based company has seen its recent models fall behind in performance. But the Chinese alternatives are generally not as capable as US frontier AI models, said Bosselut, unless paired with fiddly, custom tools that allows them to act as independent agents. “Most scientists do not have the time,” he said. Don’t jump ship yetAlthough the kill switch moment is seen a warning shot for European scientists, it doesn’t mean labs should abandon US AI tools immediately. “I do not think the right response is simply to abandon US-based models and systems under the banner of sovereignty or independence,” said Mattias Björnmalm, secretary general of the Cesaer university association. “That would be an overreaction.”Related articlesEuropean sovereignty in AI requires ‘ugly trade-offs,’ say experts Robotic lab start-up makes case for €500M EU-funded materials testing facilityAI in science: is it useful? Instead, European researchers need to ask themselves whether they’re becoming dependent on technology that could be turned off in Washington, said Özcan. “They might not see this today, but they should really start asking this question,” she said. European researchers need a plan B, said Salathé. “I would recommend to every researcher, very proactively explore alternatives.”Own toolsIn addition, Björnmalm and others want European research institutions to develop their own scientific AI tools.Instead of signing AI deals with US digital giants, European universities should be using this money to create their own models, which may end up being superior for research, said Sabine Leonelli, an expert on the use of AI in science at the Technical University of Munich. “Universities in Europe seem to be happy to sign commercial contracts with US companies on the assumption [their AI tools] are better,” she said. But US frontier LLMs are typically opaque, and have been developed without independent scientific input, she said. “This is not good enough for science.”Last year, Swiss researchers released Apertus, an LLM designed to be completely transparent, from its development methods to its training data. The idea is that this makes scientific tools built on top of the model far more reproducible than with closed, commercial alternatives.“Europe needs more of this: serious capacity-building that gives researchers, universities and companies credible options,” said Björnmalm.
Apple Store is down: 'We’re making updates,' Apple says
Apple’s Online Store is down this morning, with the company saying it’s “making updates to the Apple Store.” The Apple...
Google opens the Play Store to external billing in the US, UK, and Europe next week
Google today announced that it will open up the Play Store to external payments starting on June 30 in the...
World Cup crowds bring some boom, some bust for Seattle businesses
Ahead of Wednesday's World Cup match in Seattle, a clear pattern had emerged: Bars, cafés, and restaurants are surging with game-day energy, while many retail shops and businesses outside the immediate fan orbit are struggling to cash in.
Downtown Middletown businesses say vacant storefronts continue to hold city back
Vacant storefronts have been a challenge in downtown Middletown for years, and some business owners say a lack of enforcement on existing rules has allowed the problem to continue.
Noblesville store attributes closure to declining business caused by road construction
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — A consignment store in downtown Noblesville has indicated that its doors are closing due to the impacts of road construction. At the corner of Ninth and Logan Streets, Velvet Pl…
Casey's CEO on fuel margins, expansion, food business and more
Casey’s General Stores chair and CEO Darren Rebelez joins CNBC's "Closing Bell Overtime" to discuss the company's food and fuel business, its outlook and more.
Steam Machine Sells Out in Japan Despite Woeful Pricing
As was the case with the Steam Deck, Valve is selling the Steam Machine via Komodo Station, an Asian reseller that serves much of South-East Asia, and as a result, it skips the reservation and lottery system that is currently in place on Valve's own Steam Store. While this doesn't combat issues like...
On Main: When is downtown Concord ‘open for business’?
The Concord Monitor compiled an inventory of the storefront spaces on and around Main Street, categorizing them by type, noting businesses' tenures, hours and landlords. This data was used to build an interactive rendering of Main Street, where readers can pinpoint a day and time and simulate a stroll downtown.
De la Espriella pledges to restore Colombia’s relations with Israel
The far-right president-elect has pledged to rebuild ties with Israel and the US following tensions under Gustavo Petro.
Google’s new rules for the app store will allow alternative billing next week
The new rules are (almost) here.
Google starts lowering Play Store fees, making good on Epic Games settlement
A few additional markets will get the lower fees this year ahead of a global rollout in 2027.
PS5 ‘shovelware’ studio says all its games are being removed due to Sony’s ‘stricter guidelines’
Afil Games has more than 140 games on the PlayStation Store…
Pittsburgh bans new vape shops in neighborhood business districts
New Pittsburgh zoning ordinance bans new vape and smoke shops from opening in neighborhood business districts while allowing existing stores to stay.
Athens approves grant program for downtown business improvements
City leaders are taking applications from owners seeking storefront and signage upgrades
Road-funding initiative in Colorado qualifies for November ballot
A measure that would dedicate all transportation-related revenue to Colorado’s roads and bridges has officially qualified for the November ballot after it cleared the state’s signature threshold, according to election officials. Backed by the coalition Restore Our Roads, Initiative No. 175 would require that all transportation-related revenue be used exclusively for building and repairing roads […]
Road-funding initiative clears signature threshold, qualifies for November ballot
A measure that would dedicate all transportation-related revenue to Colorado’s roads and bridges has officially qualified for the November ballot after Initiative No. 175 cleared the state’s signature threshold, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. Backed by the coalition Restore Our Roads, Initiative 175 would require that all transportation-related revenue be used exclusively for […]
Syracuse business owners speak out over I-81 construction disruptions
Several store owners are concerned about money they say they've lost as a result of I-81 construction.
Windows 11 KB5095093 update rolls out new Point-in-Time restore feature
Microsoft has released the KB5095093 preview cumulative update for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2, which fixes numerous bugs and begins rolling out new features, including the new Point-in-Time restore feature.
Notorious Xbox and PS5 shovelware publisher booted off PlayStation Store
Sony is continuing its crusade against low-effort shovelware titles and is now delisting close to 1,000 Afil Games titles from the PlayStation platform.
With a CEO from New Orleans, this national Western wear brand is coming to Magazine Street
The New Orleans location will be the brand's second storefront in Louisiana.
U.S. Business Activity Continued to Expand in June
U.S. business activity in the private sector continued to expand in June as brighter news out of the Middle East helped restore some confidence among U.S. businesses.
Bed Bath & Beyond reopens in Washington
After filing for bankruptcy and closing all its physical stores in 2023, Bed Bath & Beyond will return to Bellevue as part of a partnership with The Container Store.
More luxury retailers open Strip stores
Luxury retailers open new stores at The Shops at Crystals and Forum Shops at Caesars Palace.
Google Store Prime Day: Big deals on Pixel 10, Watch 4, Fitbit, & more
The Google Store is kicking off nearly a week of deals that coincide with Amazon Prime Day 2026. There are notable deals...
Anker 2026 Prime Day sale kicks off with up to 50% off Nano chargers, Qi2.2 stands, power banks, and more from just $16
As part of the ongoing Prime Day sale, Anker’s official Amazon storefront is offering notable discounts across a wide range...
Is Lowe's (LOW) Entertainment-Focused Loyalty Push a New Edge in Customer Engagement?
Lowe's Companies, Inc. recently announced a multi-year partnership with Live Nation Entertainment to offer MyLowe's Rewards and MyLowe's Pro Rewards members exclusive live music benefits, including concert perks and amphitheater tailgate experiences at select venues starting this summer. This expansion of the loyalty program into entertainment experiences highlights Lowe's effort to deepen customer engagement beyond the store and into members' leisure time. Next, we’ll explore how this...
Scientists design a clay that can prevent fruits and vegetables from rotting too quickly
Avocados from Chile, bananas from Costa Rica, tomatoes from southern Spain, mangoes from Brazil. A large share of the fruit and vegetables we eat have traveled across the globe before they reach store ...
The Best Prime Day Deals on AirPods, Apple Watch, AirTag, and More
Amazon Prime Day 2026 is here, and it will last for four days, ending this Friday, June 26. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront, and there are already many deals you can get on sale ahead of the event. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
With its business and buildings for sale, Legend Brewing licenses flagship Brown Ale to Hardywood
“The market’s shrinking. When you have a particular (business) model, it's sometimes hard to adjust your model downward to fit the way the market's reacting. We used to have every single product we make in stores. Now we have three or four,” said Legend's Dave Gott.
Early Hamilton County business focused on agriculture, survival
When the Frigidaire plant closed its operation in Webster City in 2011, it was feared this was the demise of the county seat of Hamilton County. But the early years of prosperity were not built on an operation like Frigidaire. The earliest advertisers in the Daily Freeman Journal in 1857 were land agents, mercantile stores […]
Tybout House owner highlights local business at Council
Victoria Boehmer, owner of Tybout House on Market Street and a leader in several local community initiatives, shared the story behind her business and its growing impact on the region during Monday night’s Warren City Council meeting. Boehmer described Tybout House as much more than a traditional yarn store. The business works closely with local […]
Kickstarter campaign aims to help popular Castro Valley toy store fight October closure
The Prize Booth, a popular toy store in Castro Valley, is preparing to close by October after losing its lease. It has prompted a surge of community support as owners race to find a new location before the holiday season.
How Vancouver's instantly iconic Science World soccer ball came to be
But one of the biggest stars of the World Cup in Vancouver isn't an athlete or even a person. It's a 41-year-old, 17-storey geodesic dome.
Natrona County health and food inspections (6/12/26–6/18/26)
CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper-Natrona County Health Department inspects restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, mobile food units, commissaries and
Laramie County health and food inspections (6/12/26–6/18/26)
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department inspects restaurants, bars, convenience stores, delis, grocery stores, bed and breakfasts
Tampa medical building tied to philanthropist, investor Patel sold
In the week's top commercial real estate news, a grocery store property sold in Venice, a former beach hotel sold in Clearwater, and a prominent CRE broker makes a move in Fort Myers.
Vidler’s celebrates 96 years of business
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Western New York staple celebrated 96 years in business Saturday — Vidler’s variety store is nearing the century mark of serving East Aurora and visitors …
6-woman team celebrates opening of expanded Tazewell County business
A design shop opened an expanded storefront in Morton on Saturday, hosting an open house to showcase the new space and its six-woman team.
Le'Stuff Antique Mall Celebrates 25 Years In Business ~ The Greatest Treasure Is The Owners
Le'Stuff Antique Mall Celebrates 25 Years in Hillsboro, Oregon. The amazing store is something special and it's owners are even more so.
Apple is permanently closing three stores today, here’s the list
Apple is permanently closing three stores in the United States later today. The company first announced the closures in April,...
Three Apple Stores in U.S. Are Permanently Closing Today
As previously announced, Apple is moving forward with permanently closing three of its retail stores in the U.S. today, including a unionized location.
One Of The Best Steam Next Fest Demos Is About A Cannon
The worst Steam Next Fest in recorded history also somehow features the best Next Fest demo I've ever played
Oregon’s ancient landslides store lots of carbon, UO study shows
When it comes to carbon storage, trees get a lot of attention. But researchers are now finding carbon trapped in unusual places, including ancient landslides.