Latest News from The Star
The Star
17 minutes ago
- General
- The Star
Gawai Festival: A time to celebrate unity and harmony in Sarawak, says churches association
KUCHING: The Gawai celebration is an opportunity to foster and strengthen mutual understanding, respect and acceptance among Sarawakians, says the Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS). Its chairman, Datuk Danald Jute, said Sarawak's peace and harmony should not be taken for granted but continue to be preserved through hard work. "Hence, we encourage everyone to embrace and join in our unique tradition of 'ngabang' or open house so we can bolster and fortify our bonds of friendship," he said in his Gawai message on Saturday (May 31). Gawai is a harvest festival celebrated by Sarawak's Dayak community on June 1-2. Extending Gawai greetings to the Dayak community, Danald said Gawai was a thanksgiving celebration for the blessings and rich harvest of the past year. "Gawai also celebrates our rich and diverse cultures, which add colours to our nation as well as strength to our communities," he said. Danald also called for a meaningful celebration of Gawai and cautioned against overspending or overindulgence.
The Star
an hour ago
- Business
- The Star
AI agent adoption rates are at 50% in tech companies. Is this the future of work?
Agent AI is, for the moment, one of the most advanced forms of the new technology, in which agents informed by AI can carry out more complex tasks than the large language model chatbot tools. — Pixabay Artificial intelligence use in the workplace keeps growing, and it's no surprise the tech sector is a leader in harnessing those tools. But a new report from the accounting and consulting giant EY makes clear just how quickly the industry has gotten onboard the AI train. The firm quizzed senior executives and found incredibly positive sentiment toward AI and its promise for helping companies grow, with nary a hint of the kind of doubts found in other recent reports. You may think it's obvious that tech firms think they'll benefit from AI – after all, Google has said it will spend US$100bil (RM425.60bil) on next-gen tech, and certainly expects to reap the benefits of that investment. Microsoft, Meta, OpenAI, and others have revealed similar plans. But the point is, it's not just the big names with big investments that feel this way. And in our technology-centric world, tech firms blaze a trail that other industries then follow. EY's Technology Pulse Poll surveyed over 500 senior technology company leaders – and reported that nearly half of them said they were already fully deployed or were in the process of adopting agent AI tech into their company. Agent AI is, for the moment, one of the most advanced forms of the new technology, in which 'agents' informed by AI can carry out more complex tasks than the large language model chatbot tools popularised by OpenAI's ChatGPT application. Big service providers like Salesforce, Google, and numerous other firms are now in the early phases of rolling out what OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman has heralded as the next generation of AI tools. The executives EY spoke to are putting their money where their mouths are. A whopping 92% expect to actually increase the amount they spend on AI over the next year – a 10% point rise from 2024. This effectively means nearly every tech executive in the survey plans to spend more on AI in the near future, a clear sign that whatever experimental phase agent AI was in is over, and the tech has been widely accepted despite bumps in its development. We're far beyond snake oil territory with that kind of leadership buy-in. Ken Englund, technology sector growth leader at EY, confirmed in an email interview with Inc. that he believes this AI funding is 'coming from the reprioritisation of existing programs and some operational efficiencies at technology organisations.' Essentially, last year leaders spent a little on AI as part of 'pilots and proof of concepts,' Englund thinks. This year, the spending is the real thing. The spending increase may be driven by these leaders' general enthusiasm for AI, which has attracted billions in investment capital and is already reshaping the landscape with the massive data centers needed to power it. EY found 81% were optimistic about the tech's potential to help their company reach its goals in the next year. And nearly six in 10 survey respondents said they believed their organisation was ahead of competitors in AI investment. EY notes that this may signal a 'clear shift' toward prioritising AI in long-term business planning. Again, this level of executive buy-in is beyond mere 'keeping up with the Joneses' investment levels, which would try to ensure their company isn't left behind the leading edge of the newest technology craze. The positive sentiment from tech executives certainly runs counter to recent research –including data from tech giant Lenovo, which suggested the one thing keeping companies from maximising the potential benefits from AI tech deployments was hesitancy from company leadership. Fully 55% of IT leaders surveyed by Lenovo said a 'lack of vision' on digital workplace transformation is on their lists of the top three obstacles preventing access to greater AI benefits. It's understandable from a C-suite perspective – this transformation is essentially a total reimagining of many workplace norms, which the experts say is needed if AI is to really bring a return on investments. Englund also partly addressed this issue, noting that 'The prevailing mindset among executives is that agentic AI will be a positive-sum scenario in which productivity will drive net-new growth,' he said. 'Certainly, they expect efficiencies in existing work processes,' adding that 'agentic AI will likely create entirely new workflows in an enterprise.' This may even include replacing, reskilling, or repositioning the leadership team itself, of course. Lastly, reskilling and upskilling of workers has been something other reports suggest will be necessary as AI hits the workplace. EY's data shows tech leaders are conscious of this issue. Seventy percent of those surveyed were 'focusing on upskilling,' while 68% were 'hiring AI-skilled talent.' More positively, only 9% were planning on layoffs in the next six months, implying, perhaps, that AI isn't outright replacing many workers yet. Why should you care about this? For one main reason: If tech leaders are leading the AI charge, other companies in other sectors will follow in their wake once the benefits of AI tech are proven. EY's report contains such a positive vibe about AI that it stands out against other more dystopian AI reporting, and counters data showing about half of US workers worry they'll lose their job to AI. – Inc./Tribune News Service
The Star
an hour ago
- Science
- The Star
20,000YO whale bone tools are the oldest known evidence of humans using tools
A file picture from 2021 of a projectile made from gray whale bone, dating back to about 18,000 years ago. — ALEXANDRE LEFEBVRE/AP Scientists have pinpointed the oldest known evidence of humans making tools from whale bone. The bones, fashioned into narrow projectiles for hunting, had been uncovered in excavations dating back over a century in the Bay of Biscay near Spain and France. Scientists figured the tools were quite ancient, but many were small fragments so it was hard to determine their age. Technological advancements in the past decade have now made it possible to date the oldest of the tools to about 20,000 years ago. Scientists found that the bones came from blue whales, fin whales, sperm whales and other species. "Humans and whales have clearly been encountering one another for a long time,' said Vicki Szabo with Western Carolina University in North Carolina, United States, who studies the history of whaling and was not involved with the latest research. Scientists think that ancient humans were crafting whale bone instruments in places including the Arctic and South Pacific. There's been solid evidence of whale bone tools dating back to about 5,000 years ago, but the new research published in the journal Nature Communications pushes the timeline back. Ancient humans weren't necessarily hunting whales, said study author Jean-Marc Petillon with the French National Centre for Scientific Research. More likely, they were scavenging the bodies of beached whales and fashioning their dense, heavy bones into tools to hunt reindeer or bison. The tools indicate that ancient people in the area took advantage of resources near the sea for survival. They likely also collected seashells and fished. Finding such evidence has been difficult as rising sea levels disrupt coastlines across the globe, scientists said. "It's one more contribution to the importance of coastal environments for human groups, even in this long past," said Petillon. – AP
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Philippines' Bohol town mayor suspends water activities after two Koreans drowned
- Photo: file TAGBILARAN CITY, (Philippines): The municipality of Baclayon in Bohol province has suspended all water-related activities on Pamilacan Island after two South Koreans drowned while swimming on Wednesday (May 28). Baclayon Mayor Alvin Uy has issued Executive Order No. 57, suspending all water-related activities pending an investigation into the incident. 'There is a need for a temporary halt or stoppage of all water activities in the Pamilacan Island to ascertain that a similar incident will not happen again,' he said. South Koreans Kwon Sung Il, 77, and Choi Duk Sun, 73, both residents of Seoul, drowned while swimming near Pamilacan Island. The island, located about 45 minutes from Baclayon town proper, is a popular destination for dolphin and whale watching. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
The Star
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Beloved Sabah folk tale comes to KL theatre stage for Kaamatan celebration
Queennera Francis Kitingon steps into the role of Princess Huminodun in 'Huminodun: Muzikal Puteri Nabalu', which takes the stage at Auditorium Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) in Kuala Lumpur this weekend. Photo: Bernama Theatre production Huminodun: Muzikal Puteri Nabalu, which highlights the tale of a legendary princess from Sabah, will be staged at the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) auditorium in Kuala Lumpur this weekend in conjunction with the Kaamatan festival. It tells the story of the sacrifice of Princess Huminodun, a virtuous maiden who willingly sacrifices her life to save her land and people from famine. Based on an original script by Satra Nurizman and adapted by Amsalib Pisali, the play is directed by Nawfal Zamri, who faced the challenge of working in the Kadazandusun language - a task that demanded a deep grasp of its tone and pronunciation. "I'm from Perak and not familiar with this language but I'm grateful to have help from friends in Sabah to review the actors' pronunciation because language and intonation are very important," said Nawfal at a recent media conference. Marlenny says the folk tale offers insight into sacrifice and love through a Sabahan lens, highlighting a mother's pain in giving up her child for her people's survival. Photo: Bernama "We also didn't want to lose the authentic feel. So, several important parts are retained in the original language, especially the emotional dialogues. However, the overall structure of the performance has been arranged to be easily understood by the audience," he added. For this production, Nawfal also conducted field research in Sabah, visiting sites believed to be connected to the origins of the Huminodun legend. Huminodun: Muzikal Puteri Nabalu is presented by KGE Studio and the Sabah Community Aid Association, in collaboration with Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, DBP and Pertubuhan Anak Karya Malaysia, and supported via grants from Yayasan Hasanah and ArtFast. The play's cast includes Queenenra Francine as Princess Huminodun, and Virtoues Romana, Ijat Ashari, Faizan Deraman, Verd and Dr Marlenny Deen Erwan. 'My hope is for this play to serve as a gateway for more stories from Sabah and Sarawak to be staged and appreciated,' says Anas. Photo: Bernama Marlenny, who portrays Suminundu, the mother of Princess Huminodun, shared that the production goes beyond entertainment — it serves as a bridge for cross-cultural understanding, offering audiences a deeper appreciation of Sabahan heritage and values. "This Sabah folk tale gives the audience an opportunity to understand the values of sacrifice and love from a different cultural perspective. The story portrays a mother's emotion as she allows her child to be sacrificed for the well-being of the people,' she said. Producer and founder of KGE Studio Anas Amdan said the original staging of Huminodun in 2022 in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, won four awards at the Malaysia Theatre Awards, serving as a stepping stone to bring the play to Kuala Lumpur. "My hope is for this play to serve as a gateway for more stories from Sabah and Sarawak to be staged and appreciated. We want to promote this work not merely for commercial gain but for its significant cultural value and audience response,' he said. - Bernama
