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The newly launched Swarm framework from developers at OpenAI is an experimental tool designed to orchestrate networks of AI agents, and it’s been making waves in the tech community. Unlike other multi-agent frameworks, Swarm aims to provide a blend of simplicity, flexibility and control that sets it apart. Although still in its early stages, Swarm offers a fresh take on agent collaboration, with core concepts like “routines” and “handoffs” to guide agents through collaborative tasks.
While Swarm is not an official OpenAI product nor is intended as a production-ready tool, it provides valuable insights into the potential of multi-agent systems in enterprise automation. Its key focus is on simplifying agent interactions, which is achieved through the Chat Completions API. This stateless design means agents do not retain memory between interactions, contributing to Swarm’s simplicity but limiting its use for complex decision-making tasks that require contextual memory.
Instead, developers need to implement their own memory solutions, which offer both challenges and opportunities for customization. This balance of simplicity and control is a major point of attraction for developers interested in learning about or building multi-agent orchestration systems.
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A lightweight approach for developers
Swarm is distinct in its lightweight design, focusing on ease of understanding and implementation. This approach gives developers more granular control over execution steps and tool calls, making it easier to experiment with agent interactions and orchestrations. Compared to other frameworks like LangChain or CrewAI, Swarm’s stateless model is easier to grasp, which makes it accessible for those who are new to multi-agent systems.
However, the lack of built-in memory management is a noted limitation. To achieve more sophisticated agent behavior, developers must implement external memory solutions. Despite this, Swarm’s emphasis on transparency and modularity has been praised for enabling developers to tailor agent behaviors and extend the framework based on their needs
Guiding collaboration with routines and handoffs
At the heart of Swarm are the concepts of “routines” and “handoffs,” which are mechanisms designed to help agents carry out collaborative tasks in an organized manner. A routine is a set of instructions that agents follow to complete specific actions, while handoffs allow for seamless transitions between agents, each specializing in particular functions.
This structured approach to agent interactions allows developers to create dynamic, multi-step processes where tasks are handled by the agent best suited for each step. Examples include customer service systems where triage agents manage initial contact before passing on specific queries to agents specialized in sales, support or refunds. This adaptability makes Swarm particularly useful for building applications that require multiple, specialized capabilities to work together.
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Addressing limitations: The role of state and memory
Despite its promising features, Swarm’s lack of internal support for state and memory limits its effectiveness in complex decision-making based on past interactions. For instance, in a sales scenario, a stateful system would allow agents to track customer history across interactions—a capability that Swarm, in its current form, does not provide.
The release of Swarm has also sparked ethical discussions about its potential impact on the workforce and the broader implications of AI-driven automation. While Swarm aims to make sophisticated multi-agent systems more accessible, its capability to replace human tasks raises concerns about job displacement and fairness. Security experts have also highlighted the need for robust safeguards to prevent misuse or malfunction within these autonomous agent networks.
However, the decision to open-source Swarm has created an opportunity for community-driven development, potentially leading to novel uses and improvements. As developers experiment with Swarm, they contribute to the growing understanding of how multi-agent orchestration can be leveraged to solve real-world problems, particularly in enterprise environments where automation can drive efficiency and allow human workers to focus on more strategic initiatives.
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After the launch of Gris, a beautiful game exploring grief, the team at Nomada Studio in Barcelona needed a long break. They spent around half a year not even thinking about what was next, avoiding words like “Unity” or “sequel.” Eventually, director Conrad Roset, who became a parent during that time, came up with the idea of a similar experience that would introduce a new companion, allowing players to connect with and care for another character.
“I told him, no problem, as long as it’s not a four-legged animal, you can do whatever you want,” says lead producer Roger Mendoza, noting that animating critters with lots of legs can be “quite painful.” But the director was able to make the case for a game called Neva about a young woman who goes on an emotional journey with a magical fox creature. “I think it was worth it,” Mendoza admits.
Neva launches on October 15th (it’s coming to PC, Switch, Xbox, and PS5), and like Gris, it’s a stunningly animated 2D adventure. Players take on the role of a young woman caring for a young fox pup named Neva, trying to usher it to safety in a world filled with dark forces that look ripped out of Spirited Away. It only takes around five hours to finish, but the game spans a long period of time; each chapter is a different season, and you see the fox grow over time. At first, it’s a relatively helpless pup, but by the end, it becomes your protector.
Neva and Gris share a lot in common: the short length, approachable gameplay, incredible art and animation, and narrative that’s told almost entirely without words. (Neva does have some voice acting, but it’s multiple variations of the heroine calling out Neva’s name. “I think we recorded 500 different ways of saying Neva,” jokes Mendoza.) But the new game also introduces two major features: not only a second character but also combat.
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“When she’s not with you, you really feel it.”
According to Mendoza, the latter was inspired by the former. “[The addition of Neva] was in a way where the combat came from — we thought it would be a good mechanic to bring together the fact that there’s a companion now,” he explains. Early on, you have to fight to protect the fox, but as she grows up and changes, so, too, does that dynamic. “Now she’s the one who is taking care of you,” Mendoza says. “When she’s not with you, you really feel it. Combat felt like a good way to tie everything together.”
This presented a number of design challenges, most notably in terms of accessibility. One of Gris’ biggest strengths was how easy it was to pick up and play; it even worked well on a smartphone touchscreen. But the added layer of complexity that comes from combat and a companion meant that Neva “isn’t as approachable as Gris,” according to Mendoza. “That’s something that we knew early on; the moment you add more controls, it becomes more difficult.” To account for this, the developers designed the game from the beginning with a story mode, where you can’t die in battle. “That was a way to try to find the right balance,” he says.
The success of Gris — the game sold more than 3 million copies to date — gave the studio the confidence to both push in these more ambitious directions but also continue to pursue its strengths. One of the major learnings from that game, according to Mendoza, was that “you can do a strong narrative without the need for words. It’s something that we had no idea if it would work on Gris.” Neva takes things a step further, with a more direct storyline that covers a number of topics simultaneously — not only the evolving nature of a parental relationship but also overt themes about environmental destruction. Again, this story is conveyed almost entirely through art, sound, and animation.
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The other major learning from Gris was more practical. One of the main reasons that game’s development was so stressful and required such a long post-launch vacation was that the team was relatively small. In fact, only two programmers worked on Gris at all, forcing lots of late nights and long hours. Now that many members of Nomada are a little older, with families of their own, work-life balance is a much bigger priority. And so one of the most important changes between Gris and Neva was a seemingly simple one: “we hired more programmers.”
Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now nearly 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.
What letters do today’s Quordle answers start with?
• U
• B
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• G
• T
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
Quordle today (game #995) – the answers
View today’s Quordle answers
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(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)
The answers to today’s Quordle, game #995, are…
Phew! This was a tough one, with a couple of fairly obscure words in UMBRA and TORUS and a couple of others that have slightly common letters in places where they often wouldn’t be. GRAVY was probably the easiest, then BRIEF – although that F at the end doesn’t occur all that often. But it was the other two that will have caused most trouble.
My memory isn’t great, but I’m pretty sure we had UMBRA not that long ago in Quordle. It means “a conical shadow excluding all light from a given source” and is probably not a word most people use that often. TORUS is similarly obscure: “a doughnut-shaped surface generated by a circle rotated about an axis in its plane that does not intersect the circle”. I’m all for less common words being in Quordle – anyone who plays should love language, after all – but it sure made today’s game harder.
The first video shows the 120-meter-tall vehicle roaring skyward from SpaceX’s facility in Boca Chica, Texas, creating 17 million pounds of thrust at launch as it goes.
The next clip shows the extraordinary moment when the 70-meter-tall Super Heavy was secured by the launch tower’s giant mechanical arms as it returned to Earth just a few minutes after deploying the Starship spacecraft to orbit.
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The final phase of Super Heavy's landing burn used the three center Raptor engines to precisely steer into catch position pic.twitter.com/BxQbOmT4yk
It was the first time for the Elon Musk-led spaceflight company to attempt the catch, and many doubted whether SpaceX would pull it off. But in a moment of pure brilliance, everything came together as the booster gently descended before nestling between the waiting arms of the launch tower.
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The achievement is a big step forward for SpaceX as it readies the rocket for NASA’s Artemis III mission, which will involve putting the first woman and first person of color on the moon. In the mission, the Super Heavy will deploy the Starship spacecraft, which will make its way to a lunar orbit. There, two astronauts will transfer from NASA’s Orion spacecraft to the Starship, which will then descend to the lunar surface. The mission is currently scheduled for 2026, though the date could slip.
Before then, SpaceX will continue to test the Starship, refining the technology that powers the gigantic vehicle in a bid to get it ready for Artemis III.
The Starship spacecraft could eventually carry up to 100 crew members on a single flight. Elon Musk wants to use the vehicle for the first crewed trip to Mars, which could take place in the 2030s.
OPPO is one of the Android brands whose devices usually compete every year for the throne of “best camera phone.” The company has invested a lot of resources in boosting the photography section of its mobile devices. In line with this, and possibly inspired by the iPhone 16 series, the upcoming OPPO Find X8 series will feature a dedicated camera button.
Apple brought a dedicated physical button to offer a better camera experience on the iPhone 16 series. On Android, Sony stands out by including a dedicated shutter button on its flagship phones. However, Apple added more functionality by integrating a touch and pressure sensitive button. That means that the button can not only launch the camera app, set focus, and take photos, but also allows you to control the zoom by sliding on it.
A dedicated Camera Button will be present on the OPPO Find X8 series
Now OPPO has confirmed that its upcoming flagship phones will feature something similar. Zhou Yibao, product manager for OPPO Find products, confirmed the X8 series’ camera button with a short video on Weibo. The executive describes how the new button will work, and it’s actually pretty similar to what Apple offers, with a few minor differences.
On the iPhone 16 series, the Camera Control button lets you open the camera app with a single press. On the other hand, the camera button on the OPPO Find X8 series requires a double-tap to launch its equivalent. However, the rest of the functions, including zoom control via gestures on the button, seem the same. It’s noteworthy that the iPhone 16 series also lets you set the Camera Control to trigger the assigned action with a double-tap if you want.
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A dedicated camera button can be quite useful and handy once you get used to it. Swiping to control zoom saves you from having to touch the screen or press the volume buttons, which is ideal if you need the best image stabilization possible. On the iPhone 16 series, users can also assign the button to launch other apps. The OPPO executive did not reveal whether the Find X8 series’ camera button will allow the same.
OPPO Find X8 series to arrive this month in China
The OPPO Find X8 series is expected to hit the Chinese market on October 24. Meanwhile, the global market should receive it sometime in 2025. Additionally, it will be the first time that the most premium “Ultra” model hits global markets. So, the competition for the best camera phone worldwide will be more intense than ever.
There are few faster ways to improve your smartphone photo and video game than by snapping up a gimbal. This increases image stabilization, reducing hand shake to make for smoother shots and help ensure a still is framed just as you want it. is an option worth considering, especially since it’s on sale. This model is currently $20 off, which brings it .
The Osmo Mobile 6 has a larger clamp than DJI’s previous models, meaning larger smartphones and ones with bulkier cases can slot in. If you attach an iPhone, the Mimo app goes into camera view when the gimbal is unfolded so you can start shooting photos and videos with it faster.
DJI
Vloggers, action videographers and still photographers alike could all benefit from the DJI Osmo Mobile 6. The smartphone gimbal has dropped to its lowest price ever in a new sale.
The handle is said to be more comfortable to hold compared with earlier versions. DJI retained the built-in extension rod from the previous model, so you can use the Osmo Mobile 6 as a selfie stick. You can set it up as a tripod too.
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DJI included an array of smart features, such as timelapse, gesture control, automatic dynamic zoom, panorama and story mode. Using a side wheel, you can adjust the focal length and zoom level manually.
There’s a new status panel built in that displays battery levels and a button that lets you switch between various modes. DJI also upgraded its ActiveTrack feature. This supports stable tracking over longer distances and helps your phone’s front camera to better track subjects as they rotate.
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Memes have become a common form of humor in the digital realm, especially among younger generations. Now, memes are even shared to express certain feelings or actions in one’s life, making them a popular way to laugh with others online.
Memenetic allows users to create and share their memes with the world. This is especially popular among Gen Z, who use memes frequently to communicate with friends.
The humble beginnings of memes
Memes initially became popular during the internet’s popularity from the 1990s to the early 2000s, when users shared laughs in chat rooms or over email. One of the first widespread memes was a gif of a dancing baby, which even made its way onto television, demonstrating its worldwide popularity.
After that, bold, white font captioned images became popular. This format is still popular today, although it is often used ironically for younger generations. Websites like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram can be accredited with popularizing meme-sharing amongst online users.
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Memes’ evolution
Although memes were once used as jokes, they are now mainstream cultural references. Popular memes like the peanut butter baby and the “this is fine” cartoon dog are references that younger generations quickly recognize. Being exposed to these memes numerous times makes them easy to refer to in a digital age where everyone can access the same findings.
Memes ultimately reflect societal changes—what was once a humorous take on unserious topics has become a way to demonstrate political and social commentaries. Sharing memes goes beyond simple jokes and is now essential for younger audiences to speak their minds.
Memes in mainstream pop culture
As older forms of media adapt to modern interests, it’s evident that memes are prevalent in talk shows, TV shows, movies, and advertisements. Ads have become increasingly meme-centered, making light of their products and using humor to attract people’s attention.
“Brain rot” is a popular term that makes fun of the low-quality media people consume. Yet, large franchises are taking advantage of this opportunity, using “brain rot” to make fun of themselves for advertising purposes. Memes have become a central part of communication worldwide.
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The rise of Memenetic
Understanding and creating memes to communicate with others is more important than ever. Memenetic allows people to create their own memes, allowing them to show off their creativity, humor, originality, and opinions.
Memes are so prevalent that Memenetic saw over 467,289 memes downloaded from their platform in the first week of their launch. There’s no doubt that people are interested in a place where they can be creative and share others’ creativity.
The future of memes is here
Worldwide, internet users will continue to see memes shape communication and entertainment. Memes will undoubtedly integrate with rising technology like virtual reality and AI-powered platforms, solidifying their place in culture.
Memenetic hopes to become a centralized platform for people to find relevant, funny memes and create inspiring content. As memes have grown, platforms are arising to meet the growing desire for meme-forward content. Memenetics can become a powerful tool to help shape future viral memes.
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VentureBeat newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.
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