Imperfection

Researchers have built an AI that beat the best Stratego player in history, and did so cheaply. Because most pieces in Stratego are hidden, the system added a second neural network that guesses the identity of hidden pieces, which proved key to handling the game's imperfect information. The result is drawing attention as a milestone for AI in hidden-information games.

An argument circulating ahead of Brazil's first-round election says the only way for the country to remain a democracy, however imperfect, is to reelect President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and vote in a more progressive Congress. The writer describes mounting anxiety in the final days before the vote, with everything hinging on what can be accomplished before election day.

A debate over energy pricing has reignited discussion of taxing rents and windfall profits, a policy economists have discussed since the 1980s. Supporters argue that taxing excess profits, or capping prices despite distortions to market efficiency, is imperfect but still better than the available alternatives for handling the current energy price crisis.

Researchers report a new game-playing AI that has beaten human players at Stratego, a board game of hidden information long considered a major challenge for artificial intelligence. The system is said to rely on highly efficient self-play reinforcement learning and can also play Barrage Stratego, Hanabi, and Dou dizhu, suggesting broad capabilities across imperfect-information games.

Vogue reports that 'effort signaling' has become fashion's counterpoint to AI-generated content, with the trend valuing visible signs of human labor — hand-stitching, artisanal craftsmanship and imperfect detailing — as markers of authenticity and luxury. As AI-made imagery and design spread through the industry, brands and consumers increasingly treat unmistakable human effort as a status symbol and proof of genuine value.

Columnist Scott Rabalais argues that while the PCSA legislation is far from perfect, Congress must push it all the way to final passage. The piece frames the bill in sports terms, saying lawmakers need to get it 'across the goal line' despite its imperfections, positioning the legislation as important enough that its shortcomings should not stop it from becoming law.

An AI system has become the new champion at Stratego, the classic board game long considered a major challenge for artificial intelligence because players cannot see each other's pieces. The result, reported by MIT News, marks a step forward in AI's ability to handle imperfect-information games, beyond chess and Go.

A new opinion piece argues that television needs more lesbian characters who are allowed to be flawed, complicated and messy rather than polished or idealised. The writer says current representation often confines lesbian characters to safe, unrealistic roles, and calls on showrunners to portray them with the same depth and imperfection afforded to straight characters.

QWRT Radio, an online web radio station, is currently playing "Imperfection" by artist Rumari and inviting listeners to tune in via its streaming site. The track is being promoted through the station's now-playing announcements. Beyond the broadcast itself, little is known about the artist or the song, and there is no wider reaction to report yet.