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☆ Amazon starts selling smart grocery carts to other retailers
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A woman uses a dash cart during her grocery-shopping at a Whole Foods store as Amazon launches smart shopping carts at Whole Foods stores in San Mateo, California, United States on February 25, 2024. The smart shopping cart makes grocery shopping quicker by allowing customers to scan products right into their cart as they shop and then skip the checkout line. Amazon will begin selling its smart grocery carts to other retailers, the company said Wednesday, marking its latest bid to turn its Dash Cart technology into a service. Amazon launched the Dash Cart in 2020 at its Fresh supermarket chain before adding it to select Whole Foods stores. Amazon teams working on Just Walk Out, Dash Carts and other physical store technologies were among those hit by layoffs earlier this month.

Persons: Price, it's, Amazon Organizations: Amazon, Foods, McKeever's Locations: San Mateo , California, United States, Kansas, Missouri, Gizmodo, India

☆ A California restaurant owner says he'll 'absolutely' have to put up wages to compete with fast-food chains now paying $20 an hour
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewThe owner of a restaurant in California says he'll "absolutely" have to raise his wages to compete with local fast-food chains now that they're paying workers $20 an hour. "It's already hard to find dishwashers, which is a horrible job for minimum wage," Vitalie continued. Restaurant margins 'are so small to begin with'The new minimum wage compounds what Vitalie described as years of difficulties for independent restaurants in California. "And with the rise of inflation with food costs and labor costs, it's getting really, really bad." South San Francisco has put up its minimum wage annually since 2020, and it reached $17.25 an hour in January.

Persons: —, Sal Vitalie, Vitalie, it's, he'd, I've Organizations: Service, Business, Garden Club, South San Locations: California, South San Francisco, San Mateo County

☆ '2024 will be the year of the zombie VC reckoning.' The first wave of walking-dead venture firms is here and it's already causing headaches for tech founders.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Ben Bergman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Unlike other businesses, venture firms do not suddenly go out of business. Limited partners such as pensions and endowments that fund venture firms have been choosier, cutting off capital to firms that have not generated acceptable returns. Why it is so difficult to spot a dying fundOpenView Venture Partners announced in December that it was suspending new investments and laying off staff. In a written statement, he later explained that Sinai Ventures has been rebranded to Sinai Capital Partners. Do you know of a venture firm no longer actively investing?

Persons: VCs, Anna Barber, they'll, they're, Roy Bahat, Brian Brackeen, Brackeen, they're reallocating, Beezer Clarkson, Clarkson, Jake Saper, Bahat, Jordan Fudge, Zachary White, Carlos Adame —, Fudge, We're, Paul Weinstein, Weinstein, Ryan Swager, Brandon Zeuner, Alsop Louie, Alsop Louie Partners, Gilman Louie, Stewart Alsop, Jason Preston, Tyler Peterson, Mike Morgan, Robert Patterson, DEFTA, George Hara, Martin Gedalin, Kevin Ober, Divergent's, Hone, Ben Bergman Organizations: Business, Bloomberg Beta, Lightship Capital, Sapphire Partners, BI, Venture Partners, Foundry Group, Sinai Ventures, Sinai Capital Partners, Capital, San, Alsop Louie Partners, Partners, Ventures Peninsula Ventures, LinkedIn Locations: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Alto , California, San Mateo , California, Lumia, Seattle, bbergman@insider.com

☆ SpaceX-backed startup says preorders for its $300,000 futuristic flying car have reached 2,850
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

watch nowBARCELONA, Spain — Alef Aeronautics, a SpaceX-backed flying car firm, says it has reached 2,850 preorders for its futuristic electrical vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle. Dukhovny calls Alef's vehicle the "first flying car in history." "But we always had the idea that it has to be a car, a physical car, a regular car, as you can see it's an eVTOL, an electric car. Alef's car is mainly designed to be driven on the road, but will be able to take to the skies, too. To drive on the road, the car uses four small engines in each of the wheels, and will drive similar to a normal electric car.

Persons: Jim Dukhovny, Dukhovny, David Zorrakino, Tim Draper, Elon Organizations: Spain — Alef Aeronautics, SpaceX, Alef Aeronautics, Boeing, Airbus, Joby Aviation, CNBC, Mobile, Europa Press, Getty, SKTelecom Locations: BARCELONA, Spain, San Mateo , California, Alef, Germany, Korean

☆ '2024 will be the year of the zombie VC reckoning.' The first wave of dying venture firms is here and it's already causing headaches for tech founders.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Ben Bergman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

AdvertisementUnlike other businesses, venture firms do not suddenly go out of business. Why it is so difficult to spot a dying fundOpenView Venture Partners announced in December it was suspending new investments and laying off staff. With the help of Pitchbook, BI looked through data for hundreds of venture firms. Hinge last raised a $19 million fund in 2021 but has not made an investment since November 2022, according to Pitchbook. Do you know of a venture firm no longer actively investing?

Persons: —, VCs, Anna Barber, they'll, they're, Roy Bahat, Brian Brackeen, they're reallocating, Beezer Clarkson, Clarkson, Jake Saper, Bahat, Jordan Fudge, Zachary White, Carlos Adame, Fudge, We're, Paul Weinstein, Weinstein, Cofounders Ryan Swager, Brandon Zeuner, Louie, Alsop Louie Partners, Partners Gilman Louie, Stewart Alsop, Jason Preston, Partners Tyler Peterson, Mike Morgan, Robert Patterson, DEFTA, George Hara, Martin Gedalin, Kevin Ober, Hone, Ben Bergman Organizations: Service, Business, Bloomberg Beta, Lightship, Sapphire Partners, BI, Sapphire Ventures, Venture Partners, Foundry Group, Sinai Ventures, Sinai Capital Partners, Capital, San, Louie Partners, Partners, Ventures Peninsula Ventures, LinkedIn Locations: Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Mateo , California, Seattle, Alto, bbergman@insider.com

☆ Hollywood's newest star is the Waymo robotaxi
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Waymo can now operate its Waymo One service in Los Angeles. AdvertisementWaymo is now approved to operate its driverless vehicles in Los Angeles and additional parts of the Bay Area. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed concern about Waymo vehicles blocking the roads when emergency vehicles are trying to pass, which has happened several times in San Francisco. Waymo vehicles have been filmed cutting off road access and blocking public transport and emergency vehicles. There are also a few incidents of Waymo vehicles injuring people.

Persons: —, Waymo, Julia Ilina, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Ilina, Illina, Tilly Chang, Cruise Organizations: Service, California Public Utilities Commission, Los, San, Los Angeles Mayor, Cruise, San Francisco County Transportation Authority, DMV Locations: Los Angeles, Bay, California, San Francisco, San Mateo, San Francisco Peninsula, San Francisco —, San Francisco County

Alphabet's Waymo robotaxi unit won approval from the California Public Utilities Commission to expand service to parts of Los Angeles and the Bay Area, according to a notice posted to the regulator's website on Friday. "Waymo may begin fared driverless passenger service operations in the specified areas of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Peninsula, effective today," the release said. In mid-February, Waymo initiated a voluntary recall filing notice with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, saying it would fix software issues. The latest notice applies to the commercial ride-sharing service Waymo One. WATCH: Crowd burns Waymo in San Francisco

Persons: Alphabet's, Waymo, Apple, Elon Musk's Tesla, Cruise robotaxis Organizations: California Public Utilities Commission, San, National, Traffic Safety Administration, California Department of Motor Vehicles, General Motors, Cruise, Palo Locations: Los Angeles, San Francisco Peninsula, Phoenix, California, Palo Alto, San Mateo County, San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California regulators on Friday authorized Waymo to expand services of its fleet of robotaxis into Los Angeles and to cities on the peninsula south of San Francisco. The California Public Utilities Commission approved Waymo's application for the expansion of its self-driving taxi operations beyond San Francisco starting Friday. The company owned by Google parent Alphabet Inc. has also been operating the service in Phoenix since 2020. The expansion for Waymo comes after California authorities revoked the license of a rival robotaxi service owned by General Motors after determining its driverless cars that had been transporting passengers throughout San Francisco were a dangerous menace. Officials in San Mateo County and Los Angeles had opposed the expansion and want more local say over how robotaxis can operate.

Persons: Waymo Organizations: FRANCISCO, —, The, The California Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco, Google, Inc, General Motors, Cruise Locations: — California, robotaxis, Los Angeles, San Francisco, The California, San, Phoenix, LA, California, San Mateo County

A study released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found 6.4% of adults living alone had feelings of depression in 2021, compared with 4.1% of adults living with others. Overall, 4.5% of adults reported feelings of depression in 2021, with a higher proportion among women (5.2%) than men (3.7%). Among Hispanic adults living alone, 7.3% reported feelings of depression compared with 3.2% from that group who lived with others. Approximately 6.7% of Black adults living alone reported depression versus 4.5% living with others, while 6.3% of white adults living alone reported depression compared with 4.3% who lived with others. While a higher percentage of adults living alone reported feelings of depression compared to those living with others across all household income levels, a higher proportion was found among poorer adults.

Persons: ”, Vivek Murthy Organizations: Valentine's, Centers for Disease Control, U.S Locations: U.S, San Mateo County, Silicon

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (AP) — Police in California arrested a man for allegedly stealing a small aircraft before crashing onto a beach and leaving the scene on Thursday. Deputies received a report of a small airplane landing “near or on a beach” in Half Moon Bay around 5 p.m., the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. Police said officers found the aircraft, intact but unoccupied, on the sand south of Poplar Beach, which is about 30 miles (48.2 kilometers) south of San Francisco. Deputies located a man matching the description of a person seen landing the plane and walking away, police said. The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the theft with the Palo Alto Police Department.

Persons: Luiz Gustavo Aires Organizations: — Police, San, San Mateo County Sheriff's, Police, San Mateo County Sheriff’s, Palo Alto Police Department Locations: Calif, California, San Mateo County, Poplar Beach, San Francisco, Miami, Redwood City, Palo Alto , California

☆ Wealthy Silicon Valley county becomes first to declare loneliness a public health emergency
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A Silicon Valley county declared loneliness to be a public health emergency. San Mateo County found that 45% of its residents said they were suffering from loneliness. AdvertisementA wealthy Silicon Valley county in California has become the first in the US to declare loneliness a public health emergency. Stephen Lam/Getty ImagesIn San Mateo County, Canepa has proposed several ideas to combat the problem, including making neighborhoods more walkable. San Mateo County, with over 700,000 residents, in the San Francisco Bay Area, includes part of Silicon Valley.

Persons: —, David Canepa, Vivek Murthy, Murthy, Stephen Lam, Canepa, Jennifer Steele Organizations: Facebook, YouTube, Electronic Arts, Service, Supervisors, NBC News, San Mateo, NBC, San Locations: San Mateo County, Silicon, California, California's San Mateo County, Japan, New York, San Mateo's, San Francisco Bay, Francisco, Silicon Valley

☆ Manufacturing and construction are hiring — but there aren't enough people trained to fill the jobs
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Kate Rogers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The job is clean, high-tech and skilled – all key recruitment points as the company looks to add to its ranks in the year to come. It hopes to double its 100-person manufacturing workforce by the end of the year. Finding people who have the training to do those jobs may prove challenging. Ample is running apprenticeship partnerships with the City College of San Francisco, Laney College and the College of San Mateo, launched as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act. But there are classes you will take that will fundamentally increase your ability to the job really, really well, or do it safely even, or be able to be more effective," Hassounah said.

Persons: Stellantis, Uber, Khaled Hassounah, Hassounah Organizations: EV, Daimler, CNBC, City College of San, Laney College, College of San Locations: Bay, U.S, City College of San Francisco, College of San Mateo

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The first of two back-to-back atmospheric rivers drenched Northern California on Thursday, flooding roads while triggering statewide storm preparations and calls for people to get ready for powerful downpours, heavy snow and damaging winds. Forecasters also said the Central Coast could see waves up to 18 feet (5.4 meters) high on Thursday and Friday. The storm came a week after heavy rain caused flooding that inundated homes and overturned cars in the county. Last winter, California was battered by numerous drought-busting atmospheric rivers that unleashed extensive flooding, big waves that hammered shoreline communities and extraordinary snowfall that crushed buildings. ___Associated Press journalists Nic Coury in Capitola, California, and Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada, contributed to this report.

Persons: Brian Ferguson, Cal OES, ” Ferguson, Joshua Whitby, “ There’s, ” Whitby, Daniel Swain, Swain, Snow, Nic Coury, Scott Sonner Organizations: ANGELES, San, San Francisco Bay Area, National Weather Service, Bay, Service, California Governor’s, Emergency Services, University of California, Yosemite National, Associated Locations: Northern California, San Francisco Bay, Coast, Central, Pacifica, San Mateo County, Humboldt County, Eureka, San Diego County, Hawaii, California, Oregon, San Diego, Capitola, Monterey Bay, Los Angeles, Sierra Nevada, Sierra, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Reno , Nevada, Capitola , California

☆ Homebuilt plane sold last year for $100,000 crashes into ocean off California coast, likely killing 4 people
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A homebuilt aircraft crashed into the ocean just south of San Francisco on Sunday. AdvertisementA small homebuilt aircraft crashed off the coast of California on Sunday, The Associated Press reported. But the following morning, authorities said a fishing boat spotted a "deceased female" in the water, which they said was "likely associated with the plane crash given she was located in the same location." The Cozy Mark IV is 16.9 feet long with a wing span of 28.1 feet. It has a top speed of 200 mph and can travel around 1,000 miles, per Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co., which sells plans for the Mark IV.

Persons: —, Mark IV, Emma Willmer, Lochie Ferrier, Cassidy Petit, Thane Ostroth, Ostroth, Marc Zeitlin, Zeitlin, Mark Organizations: Sunday, Service, Associated Press, Federal, Facebook, San, San Mateo County Sheriff's, Coast Guard, CHP, Aeronautical, National Transportation Safety Board, Cozy, AP, NTSB, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Specialty Co Locations: San Francisco, California, San Mateo County, Moss Beach , CA, Australian, United States

The plane was registered to an Oakland-based company called Winged Wallabies, Inc., according to Federal Aviation Administration records. He said it was “traumatic” to know the plane he had spent so much time on had crashed with people on board. Like commercial aircraft, all home-built planes are required by the FAA to be inspected annually for air worthiness. Cozy aircraft have the same safety record as commercially built planes of similar size, said aeronautical engineer Marc Zeitlin, who consults with the National Transportation Safety Board on crash investigations involving Cozy aircraft, including this one. “You buy foam, you buy fiberglass, you buy metal parts from all the manufacturers.

Persons: Mark IV, Thane Ostroth, Ostroth, “, I’ll, ” Ostroth, Marc Zeitlin, Zeitlin, ”, Zeitlen, Emma Willmer, John Antczak Organizations: ANGELES, Wallabies, Inc, Federal Aviation Administration, Authorities, Cozy, FAA, National Transportation Safety Board, Burnside Aerospace, San, San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, U.S . Coast Guard, San Mateo County Coroner’s, The National Transportation Safety Board, Associated Press Locations: California, San Francisco, Oakland, Thane, Australia, Michigan, Florida, Ross, San Mateo County, U.S, Los Angeles

☆ Keith Lee cut his food tour of the Bay Area short, saying it's 'not a place for tourists right now'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Anneta Konstantinides | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Keith Lee cut his Bay Area food tour short, saying it wasn't "a place for tourists right now." AdvertisementKeith Lee was not impressed with Bay Area cuisine. Lee — who's become a TikTok sensation for the honest food reviews he shares with his 15.6 million followers — revealed on Thursday night that he was ending his food tour in Northern California early. AdvertisementLee revealed that the second reason he decided to cut the food tour short was due to multiple disappointing dining experiences. Lee said his third "and probably the most important" reason for cutting his Bay Area trip short was an allergic reaction that sent him to the hospital.

Persons: Keith Lee, Lee, —, Lee — who's, I've, Lee didn't, Hayward, Mama T's, y'all Organizations: Area, Service, Bay, Business, Oakland, San, Greens Restaurant Locations: Northern California, San Francisco, Bay, Gotham, San Jose, Mateo, Oakland

☆ A suspected Bay Area Christmas tree thief was filmed casually pinching a new tree from a couple's SUV and loading it onto their own car
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Bay Area couple who tied their Christmas tree to the roof of their car had it stolen on Friday. Security footage shows a person casually cutting the ropes and loading the tree into their own car. The couple was eventually given another Christmas tree by a local business, KGO-TV reported. The San Mateo Police Department told KGO-TV that the Christmas tree case was "unique" and that the theft suspect hadn't been identified yet. AdvertisementPolice added that a local Christmas tree lot gave Jesus and his wife a new tree.

Persons: —, Jesus, Dion Lim, Scrooge isn't, Lim, hadn't Organizations: Area, KGO, Service, ABC, NBC, NBC Bay Area, San Mateo Police Department, Police Locations: San Mateo, NBC Bay

☆ Former US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor dead at 93
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

[1/5] U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor speaks during an interview with Reuters Editor-in-Chief Stephen Adler at the 92nd Street Y in New York March 15, 2012. Chief Justice John Roberts recalled O'Connor as having "blazed an historic trail as our nation’s first female justice." "We at the Supreme Court mourn the loss of a beloved colleague, a fiercely independent defender of the rule of law, and an eloquent advocate for civics education." Her 1981 appointment by Republican President Ronald Reagan made her the Supreme Court's first woman justice nearly two centuries after the Supreme Court was established in 1789 but her place in history went beyond breaking men-only barriers. The Supreme Court, which has had a 6-3 conservative majority since 2020, overturned the landmark Roe ruling in 2022.

Persons: Sandra Day O'Connor, Stephen Adler, Shannon Stapleton, Sandra Day O’Connor, O'Connor, John Roberts, Roberts, George W, Bush, Samuel Alito, Ronald Reagan, you’ve, Roe, Wade, Republican George W, Democrat Al Gore, O’Connor, Harry, Ada Mae, Rehnquist, John, Warren Burger, Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Justice Potter Stewart, “, Barack Obama, Bill Trott, Daniel Wallis Organizations: U.S, Supreme, Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, Republican, Democrat, Chicago Tribune, Stanford University, Arizona, Democratic, Senate, Ladies, White, Thomson Locations: New York, Phoenix, Arizona, Georgia, Texas, Florida, El Paso , Texas, Los Angeles, San Mateo County , California, United States, West, Reuters Washington

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Anna Eshoo, a Democrat representing parts of California's Silicon Valley, announced Tuesday that she will not run for reelection next year, marking the end of her more than three decades in Congress. Eshoo joins more than a dozen House Democrats who are opting to retire or run for another office next year. Political Cartoons View All 1260 ImagesIn a statement, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries saluted Eshoo’s years of public service. “It is fitting that Silicon Valley has been represented by a prolific legislator, innovator, and barrier breaker like Anna Eshoo,” the New York Democrat said. Rep. Tony Cárdenas, who has represented California’s San Fernando Valley for nearly three decades, also said this week that he will be retiring when his term is up.

Persons: Anna Eshoo, “, ” Eshoo, Eshoo, I’ve, Hakeem Jeffries, Eshoo’s, “ Anna, Tony Cárdenas Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Congressional, Democratic, San, Supervisors, Democrats, House Energy, Commerce, New York Democrat, California Democrat Locations: Silicon, California's, Santa Jose, San Mateo County, California, San Fernando Valley

☆ Mastercard doubles down on effort to detect and tackle crypto fraud with AI tie-up
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

(Photo by Joan Cros Garcia/Corbis via Getty Images)Mastercard is doubling down on its efforts to detect and prevent fraud that's routed through cryptocurrency exchanges. The company told CNBC exclusively that it's partnered with Feedzai, a regulatory technology platform that aims to combat money laundering and financial scams online using artificial intelligence. "This will increase fraud detection by protecting unwary consumers, but will also detect potential money laundering activity and mule accounts," Feedzai CEO and co-founder Nuno Sebastio told CNBC. An estimated 40% of scam transactions exit directly from a bank account to a crypto exchange today, according to Feedzai data. Feedzai says its software can identify and block suspicious transactions in a matter of nanoseconds — but also recognize transactions that are legitimate.

Persons: Joan Cros Garcia, Corbis, it's, Feedzai, Mastercard's, Nuno Sebastio, Sebastio Organizations: MasterCard, Mobile, Congress, Getty Images, Mastercard, CNBC, Feedzai Locations: BARCELONA, SPAIN, Barcelona, Spain, Coimbra, Portugal, San Mateo , California, Silicon Valley

☆ At their annual mega-party, real estate agents on edge over the potential erosion of their commissions
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Anna Bahney | Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Courtesy National Association of RealtorsKasper echoed those sentiments in a keynote address to agents at the convention on Tuesday, telling agents: “We will continue to listen closely to your feedback. Real estate agents generate about $100 billion in commissions a year, according to the Department of Justice. And about half of that, plaintiffs in the recent case argue, goes to buyers’ agents. Visitors at the National Association of Realtors convention on November 14 in Anaheim, California. She said that buyers’ agreements may have to have wording that says that if a seller doesn’t agree to pay the buyer’s agent commission, the buyer is on the hook for that money.

Persons: Keller Williams, Tracy Kasper, Berkshire Hathaway, Silverhawk, ”, ” Tracy Kasper, National Association of Realtors Kasper, Renée Roqué, Alexis McGee, “, Liu Guanguan, John Natale, Natale isn’t, Lynn Madison, Madison, Chuck Simons, “ It’s, Matt Troiani, Troiani, it’s, ” Troiani, ” ‘, Jim Flanagan, Flanagan, isn’t, Nate Johnson, haven’t, Johnson Organizations: California CNN, National Association of Realtors, NAR, of Justice, NXT, Department of Justice, China News Service, Social Media, Realtors, Coldwell, RedKey Realty Locations: Anaheim, California, Missouri, America, Texas, Berkshire, Boise , Idaho, Stevenson Ranch , California, San Mateo County , California, New Jersey, Anaheim , California, Illinois, Valencia , California, Ocean County , New Jersey, Flanagan’s, St, Louis , Missouri

The AI cloud-computing organization, called Voltage Park, has 24,000 Nvidia H100 chips, Voltage Park CEO Eric Park told Reuters in an interview. The operation plans to offer long- and short-term, low-cost AI computing to help alleviate the shortage of AI chips. Voltage Park plans to set up clusters of the Nvidia AI chips in Texas, Virginia and Washington. After the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT last year, demand for Nvidia's advanced AI silicon soared as businesses scrambled for chips to power their AI ambitions. Intel , Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O) and a host of startups sell competing AI chips that are also in heavy demand.

Persons: Jed McCaleb, Eric Park, OpenAI's ChatGPT, McCaleb, Max A, Anna Tong, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: NVIDIA, Handout, REUTERS Acquire, Nvidia, Reuters, Intel, Devices, Navigation Fund, Navigation, Thomson Locations: Santa Clara , CA, Texas , Virginia, Washington, Gox, San Mateo , California, San Francisco

☆ Sony’s PlayStation Access controller offers a new social lifeline for gamers with disabilities
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Sony Interactive Entertainment is the maker of the wildly popular PlayStation consoles and a lineup of fan-favorite PlayStation games. Paul Amadeus Lane, an accessibility consultant working with Sony Interactive Entertainment, is pictured here with the Access controller, a Sony device specifically designed for gamers with disabilities. After years of tinkering and consulting with gamers who have disabilities like Lane, Sony Interactive Entertainment unveiled a first look at its Access controller for gamers with disabilities earlier this month. Gamers get a first look at Sony's Access controller, a highly-customizable device designed specifically for people with disabilities, at an event in San Mateo in September. “The industry needs to understand that the Xbox controller, the PlayStation controller, while they’re great and while they’re very beneficial, they cannot help everyone,” he said.

Persons: CNN — Grant Stoner, ” Stoner, I’ve, Stoner, Grant Stoner, Paul Amadeus Lane, quadriplegic, Lane, ” Lane, Alvin Daniel, ” Daniel, Daniel, “, ”, he’s, there’s Organizations: CNN, Super Nintendo, “, Pittsburgh, Sony, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, Gamers, Sony’s PlayStation, Gran Turismo Locations: San Mateo

☆ Roblox orders staff back to the office 3 days a week – or resign
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Roblox's CEO David Baszucki said staff must return to its San Mateo office three days a week by next summer. The gaming giant is known for creating virtual experiences and went fully remote in March 2020. Baszucki explained the decision came about because virtual workspaces were not as effective as physical spaces. While I'm confident we will get to a point where virtual workspaces are as engaging, collaborative, and productive as physical spaces, we aren't there yet." Roblox is an advocate of the metaverse and its chief technology officer, Daniel Sturman, previously told Insider that it wanted to build on its 3D games and virtual experiences.

Persons: David Baszucki, —, Baszucki, Daniel Sturman Organizations: San Mateo, Staff, Service Locations: San Mateo , California

☆ Roblox tells employees they have to come to office three days a week or take severance package
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

David Baszucki, founder and CEO of Roblox, presents at the Roblox Developer Conference on August 10, 2019 in Burlingame, California. Roblox employees who don't want to work at the gaming company's physical office at least three days a week will need find a job elsewhere. Tuesday's announcement marks an about-face for Roblox, which told employees in May of last year that it was giving "employees the option to either come to the office regularly a few days a week, or to primarily work remotely," coming in for "quarterly get-togethers." Ultimately, however, he said working in an office strengthens the company culture and results in more innovative and productive employees. "A three-hour Group Review in person is much less exhausting than over video and brainstorming sessions are more fluid and creative," Baszucki wrote.

Persons: David Baszucki, Baszucki, JPMorgan Chase, Davis Polk, We've, Barbara Messing Organizations: Roblox, Google, JPMorgan Locations: Burlingame , California, Roblox, San Mateo , California

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