Deloitte’s Vikram Kunnath discusses hiring in life sciences and the skills needed to give yourself the best shot at a new career.

“Ireland is a premier global hub for life sciences, hosting over 700 companies, including 19 of the top 20 pharma and 18 of the top 20 medtech firms, which account for over 50pc of national exports,” said Vikram Kunnath, a partner of technology and transformation at Deloitte. 

He told SiliconRepublic.com that there are a number of key elements to the 2026 life sciences landscape, such as industry composition where strong FDI presence is combined with a growing indigenous sector, key hubs and sectors, major investments, growth drivers, workforce demand and challenges amid global uncertainty. 

Here Kunnath talks more about Deloitte’s hiring plans and the life science skills that make a candidate stand out.

What is the purpose of Deloitte’s new Global Centre for Life Sciences Manufacturing?

The purpose of the Deloitte Global Centre for Life Sciences Manufacturing is to operate globally, as our life sciences clients do, provide services for the manufacturing and operations teams of our clients and to be more effective in manufacturing and delivering cost-effective medicine for patients. Also, to act as a hub for implementing advanced technologies like automation, AI and machine learning to streamline drug development and improve manufacturing precision overall.

What kind of industry challenges does this new team in Deloitte address?

We hope to manage the intense pressure on profit margins by finding efficiencies through automation and optimised, continuous manufacturing and reducing the reliance on slower, labour-intensive methods. As well as address the difficulty of moving from clinical trials to commercial-scale manufacturing, solving issues related to yield variability, process immatureness and technology transfer. The team aims to utilise AI-led simulations and real-time monitoring to optimise batch production and minimise waste.

Another challenge is in navigating patchwork global regulations by implementing unified, digital and automated systems for documentation such as electronic batch records to ensure compliance and patient safety. As well as addressing data siloes and enhancing cybersecurity frameworks to protect sensitive, intellectual property and patient data from rising cyberattacks. Lastly, overcoming the challenges of manufacturing highly specialised, personalised and patient-specific therapies, which require advanced, closed-system technologies.

In what capacity would a life science expert work at Deloitte?

Globally, Deloitte has over 5,000 life science experts as part of our sector team. Our clients expect us to be able to help them address challenges that are impacting the industry such as digital transformation, the business adoption of AI, new and advanced therapies and next generation manufacturing. To do this effectively, we need to understand the business. Hence, we offer a range of opportunities for candidates with experience and interest in working in the sector. 

Industry knowledge and experience are important differentiators as we work with life science clients across all of our business areas. For example, in our tax and legal team, we have engineers and PhD scientists who work with clients on their research and development priorities. Our advisory teams include pharmacists, engineers and PhD scientists working on a range of projects, including strategy, mergers and acquisitions, data privacy and security, regulatory compliance and digital transformation. Working as part of Deloitte’s life science team offers individuals the opportunity to address challenges at all parts of the life science value chain and to be part of how the industry is evolving. 

What kind of applicant would be best suited?

We are looking for specific applicants who are passionate in supporting our global life sciences clients on solving challenges around life sciences manufacturing. This role offers the chance to collaborate with industry experts and cross-functional teams on impactful digital projects that directly influence manufacturing, product quality and patient safety. Candidates will be challenged to innovate within a highly regulated environment, with significant opportunities for leadership and professional growth in a dynamic, collaborative setting.

What skills or qualifications might be needed?

We are hiring applicants who have experience across a variety of skillsets to include those having direct experience in implementing and supporting shopfloor applications like manufacturing execution systems, lab systems, supply chain systems like Kinaxis/ OMP, those working on IT or OT convergence and at the intersection of manufacturing data and industrial data platforms like SCADA, Historian and advanced analytic tools and finally including those that have experience in working on setting up digital first smart greenfield pharma plants.

Have you any advice for a potential job applicant considering Deloitte?

My advice to applicants considering joining Global Lifesciences Manufacturing COE in Ireland would be, if you have a background in life sciences manufacturing, quality and supply chain, have a level of consulting and technical aptitude around IT/OT/data and AI and have a collaborative mindset and if you love working with global, diverse teams and solving a multitude of challenges put to life sciences teams then do apply.

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Epson just unveiled a new flagship UST projector in their Lifestudio line. The Epson LifeStudio Grand Plus ($3,799) packs 4,000 Lumens of white and color brightness into a fairly compact and elegant chassis. It supports full 4K resolution with HDR, thanks to dual axis pixel shifting, laser lighting and a 3-Chip LCD imaging engine which prevents the RBE (rainbow effect) and other artifacts we see on most DLP-based projectors.

The Lifestudio Grand Plus (Model # LS970) is also Epson’s first projector to support Google Gemini AI in its integrated Google TV operating system. With Google TV, the projector has access to thousands of apps for audio and video streaming and cloud gaming. Enhanced with Google Gemini, the projector can not only make recommendations about what to watch, but can answer virtually any question in a straightforward conversational manner, and can be fully integrated into a Google Smart Home.

In case you want to add more sources, the LS970 offers three HDMI inputs with HDMI eARC, ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) and support for sources up to 4K/120 Hz refresh rate for smooth gaming from a next gen console or gaming PC.

Image by Epson, Sound By Bose

The projector includes robust built-in sound quality, thanks to a sound system designed in partnership with Bose. Its integrated 2.1-channel Bose soundbar packs a punch in a small form factor with surprisingly good bass response, though we’d still recommend pairing it with a high quality external sound system for best results. Match it up with a motorized UST screen and you can enjoy a “TV screen” up to 150 inches diagonally, bright enough for rooms with some ambient light, which can virtually disappear when not in use. Epson offers its own SilverFlex ALR (Ambient Light Rejecting) fixed UST screens in both a 100-inch and 120-inch size as options, but larger fixed and motorized screens optimized for UST projectors are available from several other companies.

Melvin Diaz, Epson’s Senior Product Manager for home entertainment had this to say about the new projector: “Home entertainment is evolving beyond screen size. It’s about how technology enhances the way we live and connect. The Lifestudio Grand Plus is designed to deliver an immersive, theater-like experience that integrates beautifully into home décor, even with challenging room layouts and ceiling heights, giving consumers the freedom to turn everyday moments into something truly special.”

Unlike some competitors, Epson’s peak brightness ratings are backed up by real world use and measurements. So you know the projector’s ratings of 4,000 Lumens of Color Brightness (IDMS Rated) and 4,000 Lumens of White Brightness (ISO Rated) are legit. And these numbers make the projector suitable for medium to bright room use. Though, of course, it will look even better in a light-controlled living room or home theater.

Google TV Just Got Smarter

Personally speaking, I find it frustrating when I ask my TV or projector’s built in voice assistant a question, and all it gives me are generic recommendations about what shows to watch. As one of the first projectors to integrate Gemini AI into Google TV, the LS970 is taking this viewing experience to the next level, turning your projector into a conversational hub. Gemini learns and understands how you talk as well as your viewing preferences. It can give you curated recommendations from across thousands of apps and hundreds of free live channels tailored for your viewing tastes but Gemini goes beyond that. It allows for free-flowing natural conversations – whether you’re planning a family trip, need help with some homework or want details on who that actor is and what other shows and movies he’s been in.

The Bottom Line

We’re pleased to see Epson is offering true 4K resolution with HDR 10 support in its flagship UST projector thanks to dual axis pixel shifting as most of their previous UST offerings only offered half-4K resolution (single pixel shift). Combine this with 4,000 lumens of white and color brightness and screen size support up to 150 inches and you should have a capable projector which can virtually disappear when not in use. Add in Google TV with Gemini and a high quality built-in soundbar and the Epson Lifestudio Grand Plus offers a compelling all-in-one giant screen Smart TV solution with a solid value proposition.

Where to Buy:

> Epson Lifestudio Grand Plus LS970 UST Projector at ProjectorScreen.com (black)

> Epson Lifestudio Grand Plus LS970 UST Projector at ProjectorScreen.com (white)

Related Reading:

Best UST Projectors of 2025 Revealed at Projector Showdown

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s not terribly tricky, but read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Instrument in bluegrass music
Answer: BANJO

6A clue: Publication with the headline “C.I.A. Realizes It’s Been Using Black Highlighters All These Years,” with “The”
Answer: ONION

7A clue: Cut-off point for cropped jeans
Answer: ANKLE

8A clue: Hilarious person
Answer: RIOT

9A clue: Place to hibernate
Answer: DEN

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: “Tens across the ___!”
Answer: BOARD

2D clue: 1982 film in which Carol Burnett played Miss Hannigan
Answer: ANNIE

3D clue: Japanese camera brand
Answer: NIKON

4D clue: Sudden shock
Answer: JOLT

5D clue: Final number in a countdown
Answer: ONE

Rover, rover, send those coupons on over—especially since doggie daycare and pet sitting can add up quickly. If you’re like me, you often need an extra set of eyes on your pets, especially when last-minute travel, social, or work plans arise. I want someone responsible to guard over my dogs in my absence, but who is also just as obsessed with them as I am. As summer travel plans come up on the horizon and you’re getting ready to book, let’s get your fur kids squared away first with a Rover promo code.

Score Your Rover Promo Code for March 2026

Last-minute weekend away, or need someone to pop in while you’re out to check on your pets? Make sure to check on Rover’s seasonal discounts, especially if you’re new to the platform. You can get up to $30 on your first booking in March, especially if you opt for dog-walking services or boarding.

There’s also a Rover referral code that you can share, so if you’re loving it and want others to join in, you get $20 off Rover services. The credit you receive doesn’t expire, and there’s no cap on how many people you can share it with; so come one, come all!

Get a $50 Gift Card When You Refer a Sitter

We all have a friend who loves animals. We also have a friend who is considered the “responsible adult” of the group. Bonus points if both attributes describe the same person, who is more than qualified to be taking care of pets as if they were their own. Had I known about this Rover discount code pet-sitting promo in the past, I would have jumped on the opportunity.

It’s simple: Rover gives you a unique referral link within the platform, and then you share it with your qualified candidate. Once your nominee for Rover has their first successful go-around with either sitting or dog walking within the first 90 days of joining the platform, ultimately, you both win. They get a little money, and so do you: a $50 Amazon gift card. If you have pets of your own, you can put this money towards restocking their supplies—like their toys that never seem to last very long.

Give $20, Get $20: Save With the Rover Friend Referral Program

Give a little, get a little, too. The Rover Friend Referral Program helps everyone (and their pets!) win. With this Rover referral code, $20 is up for grabs once your referred friends complete their first booking. They’ll get 20 bucks off and peace of mind that their pet is in good hands, and you get a $20 credit to use on Rover. Use this Rover reward towards dog walking, getting a house sitter, boarding, doggy day care, quick drop-in visits, or even dog training.

Enjoy Peace of Mind With the Rover Guarantee

Consider meeting your new Rover sitter in a panel interview, where you and your pet get a vibe check with your potential sitter. But to really help all parties and pets feel secure, the Rover Guarantee is available for emergencies, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You never want it to come to that, but preparedness is key! Plus, Rover reps are on standby should you need them.

With this guarantee, any and every booking on Rover is backed by a $25,000 vet care reimbursement for eligible claims related to injury to either the pet owner’s or sitter’s pets. It’ll also cover property damage if any occurs under a sitter’s watch, and certain out-of-pocket costs if a third party is involved. Rover will reimburse costs after the first $250, and you can file a claim here.

OpenAI is shuttering Sora, its stand-alone AI video generation app and social network, and the availability for developers to access the Sora 2 video model family through its application programming interface (API) to rely on it for their own products or video generation pipelines.

The announcement came abruptly this afternoon with OpenAI posting a message on X and not giving an exact shutdown date for the services, instead promising “timelines for the app and API and details on preserving your work.”

Sora wowed the world with its highly realistic scene-crafting when it was first previewed by OpenAI in February 2024, more than two years ago now, only to be released to mixed reception as an updated Sora Turbo model 10 months later, at which point, many other competing video AI model providers such as Runway, Luma, and Chinese AI companies Kling and Minimax had already shipped impressive rivals.

But OpenAI seemed intent on continuing to build out the video model and enabling creators until just now, releasing a Sora 2 model over API and apps for iOS, then Android in the latter half of 2025 — and the iOS app briefly hit number one in downloads on the Apple App Store. The application itself was designed to be a social network where users could insert AI generated lifelike versions of themselves and their friends into videos.

The company released updates to Sora on a regular cadence all the way through this week, making the news of the shutdown even more abrupt.

And Sora was even so enticing for a while that entertainment giant Disney pledged a $1 billion equity investment deal with OpenAI announced in December 2025, just four months ago, to bring popular Disney characters to Sora, allowing users to generate new videos with them that Disney planned to share through Disney+, its streaming TV service. As that announcement read:

“Under the license, fans will be able to watch curated selections of Sora-generated videos on Disney+, and OpenAI and Disney will collaborate to utilize OpenAI’s models to power new experiences for Disney + subscribers, furthering innovative and creative ways to connect with Disney’s stories and characters. Sora and ChatGPT Images are expected to start generating fan-inspired videos with Disney’s multi-brand licensed characters in early 2026”

The Hollywood Reporter states the Disney deal has now been canceled. We’ve reached out to OpenAI for more information and will update if and when we receive it.

The move comes as OpenAI has openly stated its intent to focus on building a “super app” that would fold in some or all of the capabilities of its various products including chatbot ChatGPT, AI coding model and application Codex, and others into one interface. Reports from The Wall Street Journal and other outlets suggest the strategy shift is an effort at refocusing the entire company to take on the rise of competitor Anthropic and its Claude family, especially with regards to enterprises and software developers — as Claude has seen rapid adoption and enterprise usage in the last few months, according to data from SimilarWeb and Ramp, driven by its prowess at coding and autonomously completing digital tasks.

The news of Sora’s demise came amid a restructuring of OpenAI’s leadership and non-profit Foundation arm and a promise for the latter to invest $1 billion “across life sciences and curing diseases, jobs and economic impact, AI resilience, and community programs,” suggesting a shift in focus away from AI-generated content and media.

At the same time Apple announced the AirPods Pro 3 last year, the company also introduced a new feature called Live Translation. It makes the idea of the Babel fish, so evocatively described in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a reality: Something sitting in your ear that can instantly translate between languages, on demand.

Rather than an exotic fish though, here we have wireless headphones from Apple. This isn’t actually exclusive to the latest earbuds, despite the launch timing—it’ll work with the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation and the AirPods Pro 2, as well as the AirPods Pro 3. It also works with the recently updated AirPods Pro Max, but just the 2026 version, not the original version of the Max.

There are some requirements on the iPhone side too: an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 model, are needed. You also have to have downloaded and installed the latest iOS 26 software update on your phone.

With those prerequisites out of the way, you can get your very own instant language interpreter in your ears. From FaceTime video calls to foreign trips, it’s a feature that can be hugely useful in understanding others and making yourself understood.

Set Up Live Translation

Download the languages you need in advance.

Courtesy of Apple

This works via Apple Intelligence, so as well as having checked all the requirements that are mentioned above, you also need to turn on your iPhone’s AI capabilities if they’re not enabled already. From Settings in iOS, tap Apple Intelligence & Siri, and make sure the Apple Intelligence toggle is switched on.

Next, you need to specify the languages you want to work with. You need both the languages you’re translating from and the languages you’re translating too, so make sure you’re fully covered before you try and strike up a conversation.

We’re assuming you’ve already been through the AirPods setup process and they’re connected to your iPhone. Pop them in (or on) your ears and find the AirPods in the iOS Settings menu. Tap on the name you’ve given the headphones, then Languages to download whichever ones you need.

Apple says that all the processing required for Live Translation is handled privately on your phone. Your conversations aren’t being piped back to Apple’s servers so they can be translated between languages. (It’s one of the reasons you need a newer iPhone and newer headphones, so the necessarily work can be done on-device).

Use Live Translation

You can launch the feature from the Live tab of the Translate app.

Courtesy of Apple

With all the setup out of the way, you can get started with a Live Translation in a few ways. You can head to the Apple Translate app on your iPhone, tap the Live button at the bottom, choose the relevant languages, and then select Start Conversation.