Month: November 2025

If anyone believed that AMD was going to put sanity in the financial binge of AI, AMD brings you bad news

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AMD has presented some growth forecasts that have surprised the market: 35% on average annually over the next three to five years, with the AI ​​chip business in data centers growing at an average of 80% in the same period. The company estimates that the total AI chip market will reach $1 trillion by 2030. While AMD has lagged the competition in terms of AI so far, its historic agreement with OpenAIthe specific hardware that is in development and the recent statements by Lisa Suseem to be turning their strategy around. In Xataka Spain wants its own public Hugging Face. The problem is that he is late to a battle that already has winners. An unusual message. AMD has historically been a conservative company in its financial projections. Its CEO, Lisa Su, has been characterized during the years she has been at the helm by a generally prudent and realistic discourse. that now embrace these figures Such optimism represents a notable shift in their communication strategy and signals the extent to which the technology industry is assuming that demand for AI infrastructure will continue to skyrocket. The context of the promises. amd affirms that the largest data center operators are accelerating their investment plans, when just a year ago they predicted a slowdown. According to Su, cited per Bloomberg, these companies see “real value in their businesses” with AI and the pace of infrastructure construction “is not going to stabilize.” The company also claims that its agreements with OpenAI and Oracle could generate tens of billions of dollars in annual sales by 2027. {“videoId”:”x8jpy2b”,”autoplay”:true,”title”:”What’s BEHIND AIs like CHATGPT, DALL-E or MIDJOURNEY? | ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE”, “tag”:”Webedia-prod”, “duration”:”1173″} Why it can be dangerous. AMD is buying into the same hyper-optimistic narrative that have sold NVIDIA and OpenAI about the future of AI. The problem is that the entire technology chain is simultaneously betting on a scenario where the demand for AI chips grows exponentially without brakes. If expectations are not met, because AI models do not generate the expected returns or because OpenAI and other startups do not obtain sufficient funding, the correction could be brutal. Bubble symptoms. Investors like Michael Burry They have already started betting against companies in the sector, even accusing the technology giants of inflating their figures by artificially extending the useful life of their chips to reduce depreciation. Softbank, for its part, sold a few days ago a $6 billion stake in NVIDIA, although assures which was not due to concerns about valuation. The indications that the market may be overheated they multiply. In Xataka OpenAI has released GPT-5.1 with two personalities because 800 million users do not want the same AI Between the lines. AMD needed this coup. Although it has doubled its price this year, it is still second to NVIDIA in the AI ​​accelerator market, the most lucrative segment of the sector. Intel, its traditional rival, doesn’t even have a viable product in this market. To achieve its objectives, AMD is committed to its MI400 chips and the Helios systemwhich will arrive in 2026. Several analysts consider these goals “somewhat aggressive” and “aspirational,” according to collects Reuters. What’s coming now. The company promise reach a double-digit share in the data center AI chips market in the coming years. It remains to be seen if her ability to execute, proven during the Lisa Su era, is enough to transform these projections into reality or if, on the contrary, we are facing another symptom of an industry that has lost touch with caution. Cover image | AMD and İsmail Enes Ayhan In Xataka |Companies are turning their workers who know how to use AI into “stars”: the new labor gap (function() { window._JS_MODULES = window._JS_MODULES || {}; var headElement = document.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)(0); if (_JS_MODULES.instagram) { var instagramScript = document.createElement(‘script’); instagramScript.src=”https://platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js”; instagramScript.async = true; instagramScript.defer = true; headElement.appendChild(instagramScript); – The news If anyone believed that AMD was going to put sanity in the financial binge of AI, AMD brings you bad news was originally published in Xataka by Antonio Vallejo .

The problem is not that there is a risk of eating chicken in Spain: it is that it is going to get very expensive

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In November 2023, Luciana Gallo and her team toured Punta León, a protected natural area on the southern coast of Patagonia. “It was like walking on a battlefield,” explained in SINC. “I’ve never seen anything like it. It was truly shocking: mountains of dead birds on the beach, thousands of elephants and sea lions dying.” The bird flu had reached that remote place in Argentina. A few weeks ago we confirmed that had arrived at the antarctic island from South Georgia killing 50,000 females elephant seal These days, however, the news caught us closer: it had also arrived in Spain. And the truth is that while the headlines are filled with bird flu, mass confinements and health alerts, chicken continues to be a central food in our diet. So it is logical that panic has spread. And, of course, that is a problem: a huge problem. In Xataka They are touching our balls (specifically, their price) Although not the one we tend to think. Although we are witnessing live and direct the largest epizootic of which we have records, the WHO continues to consider that the general risk to public health posed by A(H5N1) is low. Because, as Sergio Ferrer points out a few months ago, the most surprising thing about what we are seeing these years is that, “despite being immersed in a massive and historic wildlife mortality event, very few cases have been detected in humans.” And of course, there is no risk of contagion from consuming chicken or eggs from the supermarket. “No one has caught the bird flu virus from eating properly cooked animals or animal products,” said Jatin M. Vyasfrom Columbia University and he was right. Today, eating well-cooked poultry products is safe. That’s not the problem. And what is the problem? That the last thing a sector subjected to increasing costs, mandatory investments and minimum margins needed is a “global pandemic“. The consequences are clear in chicken meat. According to the Ministry of Agriculturethe price at origin of chicken meat in Spain was around €2.37/kg in week 38 of 2025. That is, an increase of 4% compared to the same moment in 2024. A moment in which, thanks to inflation, the price was already high. In Europe, the situation is worse: the price of broiler chicken has exceeded €3/kg for the first time and that represents an increase of 11.2% year-on-year. Something similar happens with eggs.. {“videoId”:”x7zvhsf”,”autoplay”:false,”title”:”REAL VS. FAKE BURGERS Could you tell them apart?”, “tag”:”food”, “duration”:”221″} And we’re talking about chicken, mind you. Chicken is not just another product: for years it has been the cheapest meat per kilo of protein. That is to say, It is the cheap protein par excellence. If the price breaks, the balance of the entire country’s shopping basket is broken. We have a serious problem around the corner. We better not miss the shot. Image | In Xataka |The United States has been immersed in extreme egg prices for months. Spain now faces the same problem (function() { window._JS_MODULES = window._JS_MODULES || {}; var headElement = document.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)(0); if (_JS_MODULES.instagram) { var instagramScript = document.createElement(‘script’); instagramScript.src=”https://platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js”; instagramScript.async = true; instagramScript.defer = true; headElement.appendChild(instagramScript); – The news The problem is not that there is a risk of eating chicken in Spain: it is that it is going to get very expensive was originally published in Xataka by Javier Jimenez .

self-employed workers with simple invoices are spared

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As of January 1, 2026, Spanish companies will be required to implement Verifactu, the billing system of the Tax Agency to put an end to fraud. The self-employed have a little more time, until July 1, the problem is that communications are being very confusing and many still do not know if they should comply with the new regulations or how to do so. Now the Treasury has clarified something important: those who use simple invoices made by hand or with programs such as Word or Excel are exempt. Alarm and confusion. This is what reigns among the group of self-employed professionals. They count in Europa Press that at the end of October, the Treasury sent a notice to all companies reminding them of the new regulations and the fines that failure to implement them would entail (up to 50,000 euros), creating an “unnecessary alarm.” We are used to Communications from the Tax Agency are quite confusingbut with Verifactu it is being a real chaos. In statements to The Vanguardthe president of the self-employed employers’ association has criticized that “things are not done that way, they are done with a communication campaign” and admits that not even the agencies are clarified with the new system. He has requested an extension so that the self-employed are not obligated until 2027, although for now the dates remain the same. A key clarification. The Ministry of Finance, through the General Directorate of Taxes, recently resolved a query and clarified something very important: all those companies and professionals who create their invoices manually or using simple programs such as Word or Excel are not obliged to use Verifactu, as long as they limit themselves to generating and printing invoices without any additional functions. What is Verifactu?. Verifactu is a system to ensure the traceability and transparency of billing. It is not a billing program as such, but a technological system that is integrated into the SIF (computer billing systems) and guarantees that invoices are unalterable, secure and traceable. The key, therefore, is what is considered a SIF and what is not. SIF. What exactly is a computer billing system? According to the regulationsis a “set of hardware and software used to issue invoices by performing the following actions”: Generate invoices: Billing information can arrive from any method, whether entering it manually or automatically from another program. Save invoice information: well stored in the program itself, extract it in some physical format (such as paper, USB, etc.), or send it telematically (over the Internet) to another computer or system, even if that other system is not a billing system. Process invoice information: use invoice information to generate other results derived from it, such as making reports, analyzes or statistics. The nuance. The third point that defines a SIF is where the most important nuance is. In the response to the query, the General Directorate of Taxes makes it clear that the fact of creating an invoice with Excel is not synonymous with being exempt from applying Verifactu. The text says that “such spreadsheets may have data processing and conservation utilities that may imply their consideration as Computer Billing Systems.” Therefore, if you use a program like Excel or Word solely to make the invoice and store the data (digital or printed), it is not considered a SIF. If, on the other hand, you reuse the data by applying calculation or programming functions or export it to other computer systems, it would be considered SIF and you would have to use Verifactu. Image | Pexelsedited In Xataka | If you were a mutual member in the 70s, the Treasury may have to return up to 4,000 euros to you now by order of the Supreme Court

This is how the heat that comes from inside the Earth works

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Under the earth we walk on beats an energy that is born from internal heat, silent, so constant that neither the night nor the clouds can interrupt it. We don’t see it, we don’t hear it, but it is there: an engine running since the planet was formed. In recent decades, as we looked to the sun and wind to fuel our modern lives, that subterranean heat remained almost forgotten. It is an energy that has always been there, waiting to be understood. Here we are going to tell what it is about. What is geothermal energy? The geothermal energy It is basically take advantage of the heat that the Earth keeps inside or underground. This renewable energy is used to produce electricity or to heat and air condition buildings. That heat is trapped in rocks, soils and groundwater at different depths and temperatures. The Energy Information Agency mention a fact that is striking: the core of the Earth is at 5,982 ºCalmost the same as the surface of the sun. However, that heat does not stay down there, but rises slowly and warms the mantle and crust. As it rises, it becomes accessible, and with today’s technologies, we can capture it and transform it into useful energy. How is geothermal energy generated? The process itself is no mystery: the heat coming from the Earth’s interior heats the water under the ground. Sometimes that water is so hot that it exceeds the 150ºC and, in those cases, it can be used to produce electricity, as explained by the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE). When the temperature is lower—between 30 ºC and 100 ºC— that heat is used for district heating or for certain industrial processes. When the subsoil heat is not so high, what is known as surface geothermal. The idea it’s simple: the terrain maintains a fairly stable temperature, between 10 and 15 ºCand geothermal heat pumps take advantage of that stability. In winter they extract heat from the ground and in summer they do just the opposite, sending it downwards. This natural balance allows these systems consume much less energyin some cases between a 70 and 80% less than traditional solutions. In recent years, a technology that can revolutionize the sector has also begun to expand: Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), that artificially create permeability into deep hot rocks to generate resources where none existed before. How does a geothermal power plant work? A geothermal power plant works in a similar way to a thermal power plant: a turbine that moves thanks to steam that drives a generator. The difference is in the origin of the steam, in the case of geothermal energy the heat comes from the subsoil. There are three main technologies: dry steam: uses steam directly from the reservoir. Flash: evaporates very hot water by decreasing its pressure. Binary cycle: transfers heat to a secondary fluid that vaporizes at a low temperature. After moving the turbine, the fluid is reinjected into the subsoil to maintain the reservoir and close the cycle. The advantage of these plants is decisive, since they generate electricity 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) emphasizes that its ability firm helps stabilize electrical grids and mitigate the variability of other renewables. What is geothermal energy used for? To begin with, it is used to generate electricity. In countries like Iceland, it is an important piece of your electrical system. In Europe the use is less, but even so the European Commission estimates that it is already there is about 1 gigawatt installed. The greatest growth does not come from electricity, but from something much more domestic: heating. In several European cities, the heat that comes from kilometers underground travels through pipes to the radiators of thousands of homes. In the EU they already have with almost 400 of these networks functioning totally or partially with energy from the subsoil. In addition, geothermal energy has a lot of direct uses in very different sectors. It is used to heat greenhouses, feed spas, dry industrial products, maintain stable temperatures in fish farms or air-condition large buildings, like university campuses. Pros and cons of geothermal energy We start with the advantages: Constant and manageable energy: It does not depend on the weather. Low emissions and minimal visual impact: It does not need towers, panels or large surfaces. Extreme efficiency in homes: Consumption can be reduced by up to 80%. Very long useful life: Between 25 and 50 years, with little maintenance. Possible extraction of lithium as a by-product: The European Commission highlights it as a key benefit for the continental industry. Now comes the not-so-good part: High initial investment: Drilling is expensive and risky. Need for complex geological studies: the systems may require complex technical interventions, especially in wells and underground circuits. Not all places have suitable deposits: either due to heat, permeability or access. Lack of specialized labor: A detected problem through Brussels. Insufficient regulatory framework: compared to other types of renewables. Are there geothermal power plants in Spain? Spain does not yet have any geothermal power plants, as detailed by the IDAE. However, there is clear growth in surface geothermal energy, which is used for heating and cooling. Thousands of homes, hospitals, universities and public buildings already operate with geothermal heat pumps. Although the big leap can arrive from the Canary Islands. Due to their volcanic origin, the islands concentrate the most promising medium and high temperature resources in the country. Added to all this is that the State is beginning to invest decisively. The program Deep Geothermalfinanced with NextGenerationEU funds, covers up to 50% of the cost of the surveys, which can reach 3,000 meters. It is an unprecedented bet in Spain In summary, Spanish geothermal energy is taking off, but it is doing so from an initial phase of deep exploration. The difference is that, for the first time in decades, there is funding, political interest and real projects underway. The … Read more

It is the most important change to the app and it is already underway

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WhatsApp has begun to implement in Europe a function that marks a before and after in the use of its application: the possibility of other third-party messaging apps integrate with the platform. Users will be able to receive and send messages from WhatsApp to people who use other messaging apps, maintaining the end to end encryption. It is the first step towards something unthinkable until now: using WhatsApp without actually being inside WhatsApp. Regulation. This change is not really an altruistic decision that came from Meta, but rather an obligation imposed by the Digital Markets Law (DMA) of the European Union. According to explains WhatsApp on its official blog, “in light of changing laws in Europe, Meta now offers the option to chat with other people using third-party messaging applications.” The deployment is progressive and will arrive “over the next few months.” For now, the function will only land for users with phone numbers registered in the Member States of the European Union. How to activate and configure the function. Users who meet the requirements will soon receive a notification in WhatsApp settings inviting them to enable the function. The process is simple: you have to go to Settings > Account > Third Party Chats and activate the option. From there, you can select which external applications you want to enable and choose between two display modes: a combined inbox, where third-party messages are mixed with those from WhatsApp, or a separate inbox that keeps these chats isolated. WhatsApp assures that “you can update this setting at any time.” What is shared and what is not. When chats with third-party apps are activated and a conversation is started, the user’s phone number is shared with the person they choose to chat with. However, according to clarify WhatsApp, “your name and profile photo are not shared.” This means that to start a chat with someone using an external app, you need to know their user ID on that platform, which can be an email, phone number, or username, depending on the app. The first compatible apps and current limitations. BirdyChat vs Haiket They are the first two applications messaging services that have implemented this interoperability. WhatsApp promise that users will be able to “send messages, photos, videos, voice messages and documents to end users of supported third-party messaging services.” For now, the feature only allows one-on-one conversations; Future updates will include cross-platform group chats. In addition, certain native WhatsApp features such as stickers, statuses or disappearing messages will not be available in conversations with third parties. The encryption is maintained, but with nuances. WhatsApp assures that “messages or other content you send from WhatsApp to third-party users are encrypted during transit, and WhatsApp cannot see them.” The company also specifies that third-party messaging apps must use the same level of end-to-end encryption. However, Meta warns that “third-party apps have their own policies and may handle your data differently than WhatsApp.” The platform recommends reviewing the privacy policies of each external application before using it. Locks. There is one aspect that may be uncomfortable for some users. And people blocked on WhatsApp could continue to contact you through these third-party apps. According to explains WhatsApp in its FAQ, “anyone who has your phone number will be able to send you messages from third-party apps, including people you’ve blocked on WhatsApp.” If you receive an unwanted message in a third-party chat, you can block the sender specifically from that app, but WhatsApp blocking is not automatically extended. Limited availability and technical requirements. The function is limited at the moment in WhatsApp for iPhone and Android, so not yet WhatsApp Web, nor desktop, nor tablets. Furthermore, the company also remember that if a user changes their phone number to another registered in a region that is not covered by the DMA, they will lose access to third-party chats. In this sense, previous messages will remain in the chat list, but in read-only mode. Because it’s so important. It’s a big shift precisely because it has operated as a closed ecosystem for years. The possibility of interacting with users of other platforms without leaving WhatsApp, and vice versa, breaks a series of barriers which can end up being very attractive to many users. It is, in essence, the first step towards a scenario where the app you use to send messages could no longer be as relevant. Now all that remains is for Telegram to also implement this function. Cover image | Dimitri Karastelev In Xataka | It’s a matter of time before WhatsApp ends up filling your phone’s memory, unless you do these three things

The offer on this V16 beacon arrives at El Corte Inglés that will help you comply with the DGT regulations from January 1

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From January 1 it will be mandatory to carry a V16 beacon to comply with the DGT regulations. These beacons are not particularly cheap, so some stores have gotten to work to launch the occasional offer. And if you have not yet purchased a V16 beacon, El Corte Inglés has the Onexus-Geo by 39.99 euros instead of 49.99 euros. Onexus-Geo (V16 approved beacon) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A V16 beacon that lights up when the base rotates The Onexus-Geo is a V16 beacon that meets the DGT requirements, which are not few. This type of beacon replaces the triangles and this particular model, in accordance with the law, incorporates a GPS module at its top, offering prepaid connectivity until January 1, 2039, so it has a duration of 12 years. Includes a battery charge level indicator and To turn it on, just rotate its basean interesting point, and one that differs from the typical power button, to prevent us from accidentally activating it. It is capable of emitting a powerful light and connects directly to the DGT. It works with a battery that is included and has a magnetic fixation so that it can be easily placed on the top of the car. Furthermore, depending on the brand, it offers up to 2 hours of autonomyit is resistant to rain, snow and dust, it is visible from 1 kilometer and the battery can be changed without tools. You may also be interested in these other V16 beacons El Corte Inglés also has other V16 beacons at the same price, as is the case with the Help Flash IoT by 39.99 euroswhich is also a model manufactured in Spain by Netun Solutions. Amazon also has many V16 beacons, such as the Help Flash IoT+ by 34.95 euros wave Isse Safety by 34.54 euros. Even PcComponentes, which now has the Nk DP-EL2024-C1 on offer for 29.99 euros. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links help flash IoT+, V16 Emergency Light with Geolocation and more than 250 candela power, Required from 2026, Connected with DGT 3.0, V-16 Signal for Cars, data plan included The price could vary. We earn commission from these links ISSE SAFETY Beacon v16 Approved DGT SIM and Data Included until 2038 – Car Emergency Light Approved DGT 3.0 – v16 ​​With Mandatory Geolocation January 2026 v16 Approved DGT The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Image | El Corte Inglés and Compradicción (header), Onexus In Xataka | V-16 emergency light for the car. Purchasing guide, regulations and when they come into force, characteristics and approvals In Xataka | Clarifying all the mess that the DGT has on its hands: the V-16 light, the V-27 signal and the emergency triangles

There are so few mechanics on the market that Ford is taking radical measures, like paying them $120,000

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In the United States, and in general in the main Western economies, the manufacturing industry faces a serious problem: there is no specialized labor to fill the vacancies that are leaving who retire. Jim Farley, CEO of Ford, has stressed in an interview for the podcast Office Hours: Business Edition that his company has “5,000 mechanic vacancies. A workshop with an elevator and tools, and no one to work in it. They charge 120,000 a year, but it takes five years to learn how to do it.” This lack of training is the weakest link in the chain for Ford and the majority of the industrial sector. Global talent crisis. One of Trump’s slogans when he came to power is to reindustrialize the country. However, for many billion dollar investment that I get for build huge factorieswill fall on deaf ears if there are no well-trained employees to produce. This problem can be extrapolated to any country in the world. During his podcast appearance, Farley lamented: “We have over a million vacancies in critical jobs: emergency services, trucking, factory workers, plumbers, electricians and technical trades. It’s very serious.” The situation is not exclusive to Ford. According what was published by NPRwith data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the US there were almost 500,000 unfilled jobs in the manufacturing sector, even with a rising unemployment rate that stood at 4.3%. This is an indication that, although there are people who are unemployed, companies cannot hire them because they simply do not have the training to do the jobs they need. In Spain, the problem is also significant. The BBVA Foundation estimated that the manufacturing industry had lost a quarter of its employment since the beginning of the century, and there are an estimated 100,000 vacant jobs in the industry, in a country with 2,613,200 unemployed, according to data of the EPA’s third quarter of 2025. Again, this mismatch is due to the gap between the training of the workforce and the needs of companies. Importance of Vocational Training. Farley insists that the current reality demands a serious commitment to professional training, since “to learn how to disassemble a diesel engine from a Ford Super Duty truck requires at least five years.” For this reason, the CEO points out that without a determined effort to strengthen technical training schools and offer competitive wages, the American industrial economy—and that of any country that aspires to industrialization—is doomed to failure. The lack of investment in this type of training is one of the main causes of the crisis. Farley mentioned that “we don’t have trade schools. We are not investing in educating a new generation like my grandfather, who started with nothing and built a middle-class life for his family (working on the assembly line of a Ford factory).” The Spanish FP is a success story. In Spain, Vocational Training has experienced a big change thanks to investment policies, greater training offers and the involvement of companies in the training of those who will later become their employees. In fact, according to the report ‘Infoempleo Adecco 2024‘, in 46.96% of the job offers published during the last year, candidates were asked have a vocational training degree. The FP student report of the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports reveals that, in the 2022-2023 academic year, 1,085,259 students were enrolled in Vocational Training degrees. That represents an increase of 32.6% compared to the last five years. The demographic factor is going to make it worse. A key factor in the number of vacancies is the template aging: Many workers with decades of experience are retiring and there are not enough young people trained to take their places. This is a problem that not only affects the industrial sector, but also affects the entire labor market, both in the public sector as private. Seeing that young people are showing greater interest in Vocational Training invites us to think that the number of vacancies in sectors with vacancies due to lack of trained labor at present will not increase, but the big question is whether this generational change will arrive on time and to the areas that are needed. As and as highlighted Jensen Huang, the new millionaires will not be engineers or AI experts, but electricians, carpenters, bricklayers or bus drivers. Incentives: “Pay them more”. Never have three words held as much truth as those spoken by Joe Biden when someone asked him how to end the labor shortage: “Pay them more.” Pay them more. In his attempts to attract qualified labor to his assembly lines, Ford’s CEO adopted a strategy that the company’s founder, Henry Ford, implemented in 1914: raise salaries. That’s why Farley boasted of paying $120,000 to his mechanics. Just as he told in an interview with Walter Isaacson, Farley came to that conclusion when during labor agreement negotiations, some of his workers approached him and commented: “Young people don’t want to work here. Jim, you pay $17 an hour and they’re very stressed.” To combat this, Ford approved a 25% pay increase for its workers over four years, ensuring everyone has a fair wage and a viable career future. have a professional opportunity with a good salary and job stability is the best incentive for young people to spend five years of their lives training for a profession. In Xataka | 47% of the unemployed in Spain are over 50 years old. The problem is that many will not return to work until they retire. Image | ford

1,000 workers just to make the food

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He Icon of the Seasthe ship that holds the official record “largest cruise ship in the world”, it is a fascinating mass for many reasons. All capital letters. Not only is it extremely long (364.7 meters), extremely wide (48 m) and extremely heavy (250,800 tons), it is also a floating city capable of accommodating more than 2,000 crew members and 5,600 passengers. To get an idea of ​​what such figures mean, in Spain there are some 6,800 municipalities that do not even exceed 5,000 inhabitants. When reviewing these figures we usually automatically think of the engineers and shipyards that allow such large structures to sail the seas, but there are another challenge which is just as (or even more) complicated: feeding such a troop, mostly tourists who expect to eat and drink like true kings. floating cities. It may sound cliché, but there is no better way to define a cruise ship than as a ‘floating city’. The numbers leave no doubt. If we talk only about passengers (the crew is older), the Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas either Symphony of the Seas (to name just a few examples) they can accommodate more than 5,000 people. Or what is the same, 5,000 mouths and stomachs to feed in the middle of the ocean. Not a simple task and one that we can understand better thanks to the last ship on that list, the Symphony, which for a time was the biggest cruise of the world. How do you cook on a megacruise? A few years ago Sophie-Claire Hoeller, a travel reporter from Business Insiderdecided to answer that question in a way quite practical: checking it herself, in situ, on board the Symphony of the Seas, of the Royal Caribbean company. He chose that ship because at that time (2019) there were still years before the delivery of the Icon and it boasted the title largest cruise ship in the world. Hoeller’s experience was fascinating. Not only because of his story, but because of the figures that he collected during his stay in the megacruisein which during the most chaotic weeks of the year they could eat up to almost 9,000 peoplebetween travelers and employees. And let’s remember: people eat several times a day. In fact, Allan Gentile, chef in the culinary innovation area, explains that there are passengers who come to eat between breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. eight times a day. Not for disorganized chefs. As a figure always says more than a long explanation, here are a few of the ones collected by Hoeller during his visit to the Symphony: at that time the ship had 23 restaurants on board in which they served 30,000 dishes daily and 1,850 people were working in charge of feeding the passengers, which includes everything from chefs to dishwashers. It may seem like a lot of staff, but the kitchen works non-stop, which is why it requires a culinary team of more than a thousand of people capable of delighting travelers while the megaship moves among the waves. Lots of people, lots of food. There is not only a lot lots of staff. To feed such a clientele, the cruise ship needs to carry a huge amount of food. To be more precise, Hoeller explains that every Saturday, before embarking on a seven-day voyage, the Symphony is loaded with dozens of tons of food, which in turn requires millimeter organization. “On average, we load 500 pallets every Saturday and we have to finish at four in the afternoon to leave Miami,” explained Jaret de Silvaresponsible for inventory. “It’s a big challenge.” To move such a quantity of merchandise they need 30 trucks and a weekly budget of one million dollars. A team of 18 people is then responsible for carefully storing the food, which is carefully organized to supply the twenty or so restaurants on the ship. As a reference, each of these food points must order their supplies from the warehouse at least one day in advance. Logistics, the key on board. The task is even more complex than it seems because not all of the ship’s restaurants (23) have their own kitchen. Hoeller explains that there are 12 specialized restaurants that do have their own kitchens on board the Symphony of the Seas, but the rest of the dishes are basically prepared in six kitchens: three focused on supplying the main dining room and another three in which food is prepared for the rest of the establishments. “The food is prepared 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” clarifies the reporter from Business Insiderwhich specifies that in total the cruise has 285 chefs dedicated to menus that may vary from one trip to another. After all, a boat full of families with children does not demand the same food as a more senior audience, a mostly Asian clientele than one from Europe. Another key: advance. Since no one wants to be left without supplies in the ocean (even less if they have paid a considerable sum to enjoy a relaxing vacation), those responsible for filling the Symphony’s holds are in charge of stockpiling more food than their guests and crew will theoretically need. The emergency ‘cushion’ they work with is designed for two days, although that figure increases to three days during hurricane season. Of course, it doesn’t come with stowing the load correctly. As in any other restaurant, the food must be in proper condition and at a controlled temperature. Do you eat so much on board? Yes. The figures are once again capital letters, hyperbolic. During a week-long cruise they devour on average 15,000 pounds of meat of beef, which is equivalent to around 6,800 kilos. And that’s not even the most impressive number. If we talk about chicken, consumption skyrockets to 20,000 pounds (9,100 kg) and if we focus on eggs, demand rises to 10,000 dozen. Each day the passengers and crew also account … Read more

Until now in ChatGPT we chatted only with an AI. Now it’s starting to look more like WhatsApp

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OpenAI has begun testing a function that gives a twist to the use given to ChatGPT: group chats. For the first time, the platform allows create conversations with up to 20 people where the chatbot acts as another participant. The pilot test has started in Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan, and is available for users of all plans: Free, Go, Plus and Pro. How these groups work. To create a group chat, tap the new people icon in the top right corner of any new or existing conversation. Users must set up a basic profile with name, username and photo. They can then invite others by sharing a direct link. If you add people to an existing chat, ChatGPT creates a copy as a new group to keep the original conversation separate. The chatbot that knows when to speak. OpenAI assures have adjusted ChatGPT’s behavior to work better in this collaborative environment. The chatbot now follows the flow of the conversation and decides when to respond and when to remain silent, something that did not happen before. Users can force participation by directly mentioning “ChatGPT” in a message. In addition, the assistant can also react with emojis to messages, offering more natural behavior. Why does it make sense?. ChatGPT already had a solid foundation as a one-on-one conversation tool. Making the jump to group chats allows you compete directly with courier servicesa terrain where opportunities for use multiply. Planning trips, organizing work projects, searching for restaurants, or preparing collaborative documents are natural use cases that increase the time users spend on the platform. More exposure means more chances of conversion: the more people using ChatGPT as a group, the greater the chance that at least some will end up subscribing to the chatGPT. most basic payment plan (Go) turning the function into another way to make the service profitable. The technology behind. The responses in these groups are powered by GPT-5.1 Auto, a new model that OpenAI says can automatically select the best model GPT-5.1 depending on the type of question and the models available for each user according to their subscription. All the usual ChatGPT features, be it web searching, image and file uploading, image generation, and dictation, are available within groups. OpenAI also specifies that usage limits only apply when the chatbot responds, not when users chat with each other. What’s next. OpenAI indicates that will refine the experience based on feedback from early users before expanding it to more regions and plans. Currently, participants can customize the group name, add or remove people, mute notifications, and even set custom instructions for how ChatGPT should respond in each specific group. Anyone with the link can invite others, and participants can mute or remove other members at any time, except the group creator. Images | OpenAI In Xataka | Companies are turning their workers who know how to use AI into “stars”: the new labor gap

Shein and Temu had taken over e-commerce in the EU. Your future is complicated for one reason: small packages

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The body that brings together the Ministers of Economy and Finance of the European Union (Ecofin) wants to put an end to the red carpet that Europe has laid out for platforms like Shein or Temu for years. The mechanism is simple: end the tariff exemption that until now has benefited packages of less than 150 euros that were imported into the old continent. Why is it important. In recent years we have seen how platforms like Temu or Shein have become absolute giants of electronic commerce. Part of that success has been based on how cheap it was for these platforms to ship their affordable products: they took advantage of a tariff exemption for packages valued at less than 150 euros, but that exemption’s days were numbered. And now he has even more of them. Deadlines want to be shortened. The initial proposal put forward by the European Commission was to eliminate this exemption in 2028. This week Ecofin took advantage of this proposal, but the executive made it clear that they have an additional objective: to advance its application two years, to 2026. Chinese companies did not stop making a fortune. 91% of all e-commerce shipments valued at less than 150 euros They came from China in 2022. Alibaba, Temu and Shein were the clear beneficiaries of an exemption that was created in the 1980s and that has gained extraordinary relevance with the rise of electronic commerce. 1.5 billion euros that the EU does not collect. According to a report that the EU commissioned from a group of experts, the union’s coffers stopped collecting 1.5 billion euros for those imports of less than 150 euros. In 2024 products entered the EU worth 4.6 billion euros through packages of less than 150 euros: double that of the previous year. Two euros for each small package. The Commission wants not only to stop this mechanism used by Chinese e-commerce platforms, but also to apply a minimum fee of two euros for these low-value packages. Eliminating the exemption in 2026 is a firm intention. This tax for the moment is an announcement that can remain just that. It will not be easy to advance the deadlines. The initial proposal is reasonable in terms of deadlines because adapting customs to this new reality is not easy. As pointed out the EU statement issued after the meeting, this new regulation “will begin to apply once the EU Customs Data Centre, the central platform proposed by the EU to interact with customs and strengthen controls, is operational, which is currently planned for 2028.” European companies could not compete. In recent years Shein, Temu or Aliexpress have grown exceptionally thanks to this regulation. According to Danish Finance Minister Stephanie Losse, this caused “unfair competition” in which European companies lost out. Tariffs from the first euro. The EU estimates that 65% of small packages entering the EU are “undervalued to avoid customs duties on imports”, something that also raises “environmental concerns, given the incentive for non-EU companies to split shipments into individual packages when sending goods to the Union.” The new regulations seek to ensure that goods entering the EU pay tariffs from the first euro. The US has already applied the story. The trade war that the US maintains with China caused the United States to already take similar measures. In February, Donald Trump issued a new executive order that also eliminated the so-called “de minimis” exception for packages valued below $800. Although there was later some relaxation Regarding the terms of that regulation, the impact on this type of commerce has been notable. Our pocket will suffer. The logical consequence of these changes is twofold: consumers will not have access to such a wide catalog on Chinese platforms, and it is also likely that the products sold on Temu or Shein will increase in price to pass on this increase in costs to users. Meanwhile, companies from the old continent such as Inditex could win by competing more favorably against these Chinese platforms. In Xataka | Shipping this $320 lens from Japan to Spain costs $29. Sending it to the US costs 2,000, and it is not a typographical error

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