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☆ AI has racist tendencies. Scientists and founders are trying to fix it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Monica Melton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The police had used a facial-recognition AI program that identified her as the suspect based on an old mugshot. AdvertisementThe Detroit Police Department said that it restricts the use of the facial-recognition AI program to violent crimes and that matches it makes are just investigation leads. AdvertisementThe study also found that in a hypothetical murder trial, the AI models were more likely to propose the death penalty for an AAE speaker. A novel proposalOne reason for these failings is that the people and companies building AI aren't representative of the world that AI models are supposed to encapsulate. Bardlavens leads a team that aims to ensure equity is considered and baked into Adobe AI tools.

Persons: —, Woodruff, who's, Ivan Land, Joy Buolamwini, Timnit Gebru, Valentin Hofmann, OpenAI's, AAE, Geoffrey Hinton, Christopher Lafayette, Udezue, OpenAI, Google's, John Pasmore, Latimer, Buolamwini, Timothy Bardlavens, Microsoft Bing, Microsoft Bardlavens, Bardlavens, Esther Dyson, Dyson, Arturo Villanueva, I'd, Villanueva, Alza, We're, Andrew Mahon, Alza's Organizations: Service, Detroit, Business, Court of Michigan, Detroit Police Department, Microsoft, IBM, Allen Institute, AI, Dartmouth College, Center for Education Statistics, Big Tech, Udezue, Meta, Google, Tech, Companies, Adobe Locations: That's, American, Africa, Southeast Asia, North America, Europe, Spanish

☆ Generative AI startup Latimer, known as the 'BlackGPT', will launch a new bias detection tool and API
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Monica Melton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The AI startup, named after inventor Lewis Howard Latimer and affectionately known as "The BlackGPT" is an answer to the bias, lack of cultural competency, and erasure found in popular AI tools like ChatGPT, says Latimer CEO and cofounder John Pasmore. Pasmore said the company has plans to launch about five more products specifically focused on bias detection. The move-fast, break-things energy in AI created an opportunity for Latimer, Pasmore said. This method is baked into Latimer's nascent suite of business offerings set to launch after the release of its API. He is confident that there is "a billion-dollar opportunity" to address bias in incumbent AI offerings for enterprises.

Persons: —, Latimer, Lewis Howard Latimer, John Pasmore, Pasmore, Molefi Kete Asante, Brown, it's Latimer, Esther Dyson Organizations: Service, Business, Black, Morgan State, TRS Capital, Syncom Venture Partners Locations: Swiss

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst//File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLITTLETON, Colorado, Dec 5 (Reuters) - U.S. electricity generation from wind power is on course to surpass coal-fired electricity generation, potentially by 2026, as wind supply growth expands at a record pace just as coal-fired generation is cut across the country. U.S. wind power generation on track to surpass coal-fired generationBut with wind power generation rapidly rising in most regions while utilities steadily cut coal capacity, wind output is on track to eventually overtake coal output within the U.S. electricity generation mix, which will mark a significant milestone in U.S. energy transition efforts. In 2015 - before U.S. power producers accelerated renewable power development - coal-fired electricity generation was nearly 700% greater than electricity output from U.S. wind farms. PEAKS AND TROUGHSU.S. wind generation already briefly surpassed total coal-fired power output in April this year, when wind electricity generation totalled 42.85 terawatt hours compared to the 39.8 TWh generated by coal plants, according to Ember. That means that within the current decade U.S. wind power will be able to surpass coal-fired power in the electricity generation mix, and help accomplish a major U.S. energy transition target.

Persons: Jonathan Ernst, Gavin Maguire, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Institute for Energy Economics, U.S, P Global, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Iowa, Latimer , Iowa, U.S, LITTLETON , Colorado, United States

☆ Thomas Edison tried to take credit for a device created by a Black American inventor
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Yoonji Han | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Granville T. Woods was one of the most prolific Black inventors in the 19th century. Woods' inventions revolutionized transportation, but he faced many challenges as a Black inventor. One such inventor was Granville T. Woods, the most prolific Black inventor in the late 19th century. Woods, ironically, was dubbed "Black Edison" by newspapers at the time for his contributions to science. Historians ascribe Woods' decision to sell his hard-won patents to an acknowledgment that it was difficult to market Black American inventions to a largely white audience.

Persons: Granville, Woods, Thomas Edison, he'd, —, Edison, George Westinghouse, Frank Sprague, Rayvon Fouché, Lewis H, Latimer, Shelby J, Davison, couldn't, Lucius Phelps, Michael C, Christopher Organizations: Service, Woods, Co, United States Patent, National Inventors Hall of Fame, Edison, Edison Company, Getty, Westinghouse, General Electric, American Engineering, of Black Studies Locations: Cincinnati , Ohio, Columbus , Ohio, Australia, African American

An advanced geothermal project has begun pumping carbon-free electricity onto the Nevada grid to power Google data centers there, Google announced Tuesday. Getting electrons onto the grid for the first time is a milestone many new energy companies never reach, said Tim Latimer, CEO and co-founder of Google's geothermal partner in the project, Houston-based Fervo Energy. Political Cartoons View All 1267 ImagesFervo is using this first pilot to launch other projects that will deliver far more carbon-free electricity to the grid. Google and Fervo Energy started working together in 2021 to develop next-generation geothermal power. Google announced back in 2020 that it would use carbon-free energy every hour of every day, wherever it operates, by 2030.

Persons: Tim Latimer, ” Latimer, Michael Terrell, We’re, ”, Terrell, “, ” Terrell, Jennifer Granholm, Granholm, Sarah Jewett, Latimer, DCVC, Rachel Slaybaugh, Fervo, Slaybaugh, it’s, Jewett Organizations: Google, Energy, International Energy Agency, Fervo Energy, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Energy Department, DOE, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, AP Locations: Nevada, Houston, Utah, Winnemucca , Nevada, Las Vegas, Reno, United States, California , Nevada , Utah, Hawaii , Oregon , Idaho, New Mexico, Latimer, Fervo, Beaver County , Utah

☆ Opinion | The War in Gaza Is Splintering the Democratic Party
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Michelle Goldberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +15 min

Should a few members of the Squad lose their primaries, the blow to Democratic unity could be severe. “And they’ll either stay at home or they’ll go to a third party.”Already, there are signs that the party is fracturing over Israel. Advocates for the freedom and safety of Palestinians, horror-struck by more than 10,000 civilian deaths in Gaza, believe that the Democratic Party is giving its approval to atrocities. These big-footed donors, who are overwhelmingly targeting representatives of color, are going to exacerbate the fissures in the Democratic Party. Diana Lovett, a Democratic Party district leader who held a fund-raiser for Bowman last year, said polarization over the congressman was tearing apart local Democrats.

Persons: Ryan Grim, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Bernie Sanders, she’d, ”, Ilhan Omar, who’ve, Tlaib, “, Omar, Mark Mellman, Israel, ” Mellman, Bowman, Eliot Engel, Grim, he’d, George Floyd, Giddins, —, Don Samuels, Cori Bush, Wesley Bell, Summer Lee, Bhavini Patel, Bowman doesn’t, George Latimer, imploring, Latimer, hadn’t, Waleed Shahid, Ocasio, imploring Biden, they’ve, He’s, ” Bowman, I’m, haven’t, hasn’t, Shahid, Ta, Nehisi Coates, Coates, Isaac Herzog, Weinberger, Sam Bankman, Nina Turner, Andy Levin, Republican megadonors, Bernie Marcus, “ I’ve, Mark Pocan, Mellman, Diana Lovett, Lovett, who’d, dreading, “ He’s, we’re Organizations: Israel, ”, Democratic, American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Times, New, New York Democratic, The New York Times, Minneapolis City, Missouri Democrat, Pittsburgh Democrat, Squad, Justice Democrats, Democratic Party, Democratic Socialists of America, West Bank, Democratic Socialists, U.S, Westchester Jewish Council, New York Democratic Socialists of America, Jewish, Politico, United Democracy, AIPAC, Jewish Democrat, Republican, Home Depot, Wisconsin Democrat, Congressional Progressive Caucus Locations: Israel, Palestine, Gaza, New York, Minneapolis, Missouri, Louis County, Hebron, “, Manhattan, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin

Bowman, Lee, Omar and Tlaib also were among the 17 sponsors of Bush’s resolution asking the Biden administration to call for a ceasefire. Challenges to Bush and the others were possible even before the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 or Israel’s subsequent attack on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It is unfortunate, Andrabi said, that the House Democratic leadership has not taken a stronger stance against AIPAC’s efforts to knock off rank-and-file Democrats. It remains unclear whether House Democrats will help incumbents fend off primary challengers through campaign fundraising arms. Before Oct. 7, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., issued statements of support for Omar and others, saying he will support the reelection of every House Democratic incumbent, regardless of ideology.

Persons: Cori Bush, Israel, Wesley Bell, Bush, Bush isn’t, Israel —, Bell, Summer Lee, Jamaal Bowman, Ilhan Omar, Rashida, Israel's staunchest, Omar, Bowman, Thanedar, Lee, Tlaib, Gaza . Bowman, Biden, Omar —, “, Democrats ’, Usamah Andrabi, Andrabi, Hakeem Jeffries, ” Tlaib, Israel Democrats ” —, Thanedar —, Detroit —, Sen, Adam Hollier —, Reconstructionists, ”, Daniel Fellman, Lee isn’t, ” Lee, Bhavini Patel, Lee doesn’t, Don Samuels, George Floyd, George Latimer, Latimer, Bush —, —, Darryl Gray, Louis, ” ___ Levy, Steve Karnowski, Joey Cappelletti, Anthony Izaguirre Organizations: LOUIS, Hamas, The Missouri Democrat, U.S, Senate, Democratic, Democrats, Israel, Democratic Party, Justice Democrats, American Israel Public Affairs Committee, “ Democratic, ”, House Democratic, Democratic Congressional, Palestinian American, Israel Democrats, Tlaib, Detroit, Conservative, Somali American, Westchester Locations: Israel, The Missouri, St, Louis, Pennsylvania, New York, Minnesota, Michigan, Detroit, Gaza ., Gaza, D, Detroit House, Dearborn, Southfield, Hollier, In Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh’s Temple, Minneapolis, Somali, Westchester County, Missouri, Iran, Harrisburg , Pennsylvania, Lansing , Michigan, Albany , New York

☆ Primary Battles Brew Over Progressive Democrats’ Stances on Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Jonathan Weisman | More About Jonathan Weisman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

And progressive organizations are girding for possible challenges to Representatives Cori Bush of Missouri, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and others, funded from the deep pockets of AIPAC and other pro-Israel groups. “They spent a historic amount of money to intervene, and try and buy primaries in 2022,” said Usamah Andrabi, spokesman for Justice Democrats, the liberal insurgent group that helped elect many of the progressives now on the primary target list. “I think we will see a doubling and tripling down, because no one in the Democratic leadership is trying to stop them.”Officially, AIPAC is neutral for now. Progressive Democrats like Ms. Lee have other constituents to consider, including progressive Jews who remain by her side. Ms. Lee said Jews were “10 percent of our district, but we also have Muslim, Arab, Palestinian constituents who are afraid for their families and their lives.”

Persons: George Latimer, Jamaal Bowman, Eliot Engel, Cori Bush of, Rashida, “, ”, Usamah Andrabi, Marshall Wittmann, Bowman, Lee, ” Waleed Shahid, Biden, Avigail Oren Organizations: Westchester County, House Foreign Affairs Committee, Justice Democrats, Democratic, AIPAC, Israel, Progressive Locations: New York, Westchester, Cori Bush of Missouri, Michigan, Israel, Gaza, Pittsburgh

☆ The Race to Unlock a Vast Source of Clean Energy Beneath Our Feet
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Brad Plumer | More About Brad Plumer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

It was a drilling rig, of all things, transplanted from the oil fields of North Dakota. But the softly whirring rig wasn’t searching for fossil fuels. Mr. Latimer’s company, Fervo Energy, is part of an ambitious effort to unlock vast amounts of geothermal energy from Earth’s hot interior, a source of renewable power that could help displace fossil fuels that are dangerously warming the planet. “There’s a virtually unlimited resource down there if we can get at it,” said Mr. Latimer. “Geothermal doesn’t use much land, it doesn’t produce emissions, it can complement wind and solar power.

Persons: Tim Latimer gazed, ”, Latimer Organizations: Fervo Locations: Utah, North Dakota, “

☆ Virgin Galactic launches first tourist flight to space
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Virgin Galactic flew its second commercial spaceflight on Thursday, its first carrying private-paying tourists. Virgin Galactic uses a two-step system known as "air launch" to fly its passengers on a suborbital spaceflight. "We did not, in fact" see any fallout from Virgin Galactic customers, Colglazier said. The company completed its first commercial spaceflight, the Galactic 01 mission, in June carrying members of the Italian Air Force. Virgin Galactic has a backlog of about 800 passengers.

Persons: – CJ Sturckow, Kelly Latimer –, Beth Moses, Jon Goodwin, Keisha Schahaff, Anastatia Mayers, Elon Musk's, Virgin Galactic's, Michael Colglazier, Colglazier Organizations: Virgin Galactic, America, Space, Humanity, Virgin, VSS, Elon, Elon Musk's SpaceX, Italian Air Force . Virgin Galactic Locations: New Mexico, Caribbean

☆ Fervo Energy hits milestone in using oil drilling technology to tap geothermal energy
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Geothermal startup Fervo Energy announced a key technical milestone on Tuesday, paving the way for geothermal energy to play a bigger role in the transition to clean energy. In the test, Fervo drilled down drilled down to 7,700 feet and then turned to drill another 3,250 feet horizontally, and internal temperatures reached roughly 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In the United States, geothermal energy supplies only 0.4% of electricity right now. Instead of relying on naturally occurring conditions, Fervo is using drilling technology developed by the oil and gas industry with hydraulic fracturing to create reservoirs in rocks deep underground. "By applying drilling technology from the oil and gas industry, we have proven that we can produce 24/7 carbon-free energy resources in new geographies across the world," Tim Latimer, the CEO of Fervo Energy, said in a written statement.

Persons: Fervo, Jesse Jenkins, Tim Latimer Organizations: Fervo Energy, Princeton, Fervo Locations: Nevada, United States

“It is a crisis situation,” Ms. Hochul acknowledged on Tuesday. “There’ll be literally thousands more individuals coming across the border and ultimately find their way up to the State of New York.”Counties near the city are now bracing for overflow, some more willingly than others. The executive of the Democratic stronghold of Westchester County, just to New York City’s north, is open to welcoming some undocumented migrants from the city’s overflowing shelter system. “We are not a sanctuary county,” Mr. Blakeman said. Deputies with the Rockland County Sheriff’s Department sat a few yards away in cream-colored cruisers, ready to block the entrance of any approaching bus.

☆ A 12,000 lb. metal sculpture of Elon Musk's head on a goat body riding a rocket parked outside Tesla HQ failed to elicit a response from the billionaire
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The cryptocurrency entrepreneurs behind Elon GOAT Token created a sculpture in Musk's honor. The 12,000 lb., 30-ft statue of Musk's head on a goat body riding a rocket was delivered to Tesla HQ today. —Elon Goat Token (@ElonGoatToken) November 26, 2022"We dedicated the statue to (Elon Musk) because he stepped in for crypto at a good point and blew everything up," Latimer told USA Today. —Elon Goat Token (@ElonGoatToken) November 26, 2022Representatives for Elon GOAT Token, its founder, Ashley Sansalone, and chief marketing officer, Alec Wolvert, did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment. —Elon Goat Token (@ElonGoatToken) November 16, 2022Elon Musk and representatives for Tesla did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

☆ Expandable apartment systems are the latest twist on tiny homes as people look for affordable homes — take a look inside
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-05 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

In 2020, more than half of those who responded to a survey by Fidelity National Financial said they would consider living in a tiny home. A New Frontier tiny home designed by David Latimer. Studio Bull/New Frontier DesignTake a look at variations of Ori's expandable apartments.

☆ Zhou Jihong: She apologized for verbally abusing an Olympic judge, but questions over the conduct of China's 'Iron Lady' of diving remain
▼ + stars: | 2022-05-11 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

That was after Zhou, who has been dubbed the “Iron Lady” of Chinese diving, allegedly launched a verbal tirade at Wright at the 10m platform event’s conclusion for underscoring Chinese divers. In a diving event, judges on the panel award each dive a score ranging from zero to 10. Lintao Zhang/Getty ImagesAccording to Latimer, Zhou has “substantial input” when it comes to deciding which judges are chosen to officiate at competitions. From FINAAllegations against Zhou, Latimer says, have been slow to emerge due to her influential status within the sport. The “Iron Lady” of Chinese diving, Zhou became the country’s first ever Olympic gold medalist in the sport in 1984.

☆ Nigeria is oil rich and energy poor. It can’t wait around for cheaper batteries
▼ + stars: | 2021-11-03 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

But it’s coming under huge pressure from developed countries to abandon fossil fuels and shift to renewable energy in order to help save the climate. AKINTUNDE AKINLEYE/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockLike the United States, Europe and Britain, Nigeria sees a prominent role for renewable energy, notwithstanding its investments into gas power. “In Nigeria, clean energy is central to our government’s plan to transition to net-zero emissions,” Osinbajo, the vice president, continued. In Nigeria, energy poverty is itself a major driver of emissions, according to Olu Verheijen, the founder of Lagos-based energy advisory business Latimer Energy. This means that in some cases, certainly for Nigeria, gas has an important role to play in providing power.

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