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☆ Venture firms could be the latest target for AI disruption, and that's not the only threat to VCs
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-24 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In today's big story, we're looking at how AI could completely upend venture capitalism amid a wider shakeup for the industry . The generative AI boom was a welcome change for a venture industry looking for a new trend to back (and hopefully profit from). Some of the adjustments aren't novel to the VC industry. ACME Capital; Getty Images, Chelsea Jia Feng/BIThe VC industry might be doomed with or without AI. AdvertisementScott Stanford, a cofounder and partner at early-stage VC firm ACME Capital, told BI's Blake Dodge that half of today's VC firms will shutter in the next decade .

Persons: —, VCs zentilia, Jenny Chang, Rodriguez, Insider's Ben Bergman, Ben, Long, Scott Stanford, Chelsea Jia Feng, BI's Blake Dodge, Hany Nada, Jared Siskin, Bobby Jain's, Jonathan Barton, Jain, Rebecca Zisser, OpenAI, Apple, Elif, Jeff Bezos, Robert Winnett, Will Lewis, Dan DeFrancesco, Jordan Parker Erb, Hallam Bullock, Annie Smith, Grace Lett, Amanda Yen Organizations: Service, Business, ACME, Getty, ACME Capital, Stanford, BI, Madison, Conservancy, Jain, EV, Ford, European, Regulators, Anadolu Agency, Getty Images, Washington, Harvard, Leagues Locations: today's, Wall, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Europe, Brazil, Southeast Asia, London, American, Paris, New York, Chicago

☆ A top VC predicts the industry is heading for a massive and enduring contraction
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Blake Dodge | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Venture capital has cyclical fluctuations, but Scott Stanford, a cofounder and partner at ACME Capital, an early-stage VC firm, thinks something more meaningful is underway. In a chart compiled by Stanford and shared with BI, by 1990, there were 300 VC firms overseeing $17 billion in assets. Now, there are 3,000 VC firms overseeing $1.2 trillion. Limited partners (LPs), or investors who put money into venture firms, have other options thanks to higher interest rates, Stanford added. AdvertisementThe ACME Capital team.

Persons: —, EisnerAmper, You've, Scott Stanford, Hany Nada, Stanford, today's, Nada Organizations: Service, Venture, Business, ACME Capital, Stanford, BI, ACME, Tech

☆ Fake Tom Cruise documentary is part of a Russian influence campaign aimed at Paris Olympics, report finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-03 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | Donie O'Sullivan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The IOC has placed restrictions on Russian athletes’ participation in the Paris Olympics because of Russia’s war on Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron’s refusal to rule out the possibility of sending French troops to Ukraine has infuriated the Russian government. Hany Farid, a digital forensic expert and professor at UC Berkley, said the video had hallmarks of being manipulate using AI. But Lee Foster, another information operations expert, expressed skepticism that the imagery in the video was made using AI. Officials at the Paris Olympics are bracing for a similar threat next month.

Persons: denigrate, Tom Cruise’s, Gavin Wilde, irrelevance, ” Wilde, Emmanuel Macron’s, Matthew Miller, Miller, Hany Farid, Farid, ” Farid, Lee Foster, ” Foster, Russia’s, ”, John Hultquist, ” Hultquist Organizations: CNN —, Ukraine, CNN, International Olympic Committee, IOC, National Security Council, “, Netflix, New York Times, Microsoft, Telegram, Paris Olympics, CIA, Russian Embassy, US State Department, State Department, BBC, UC Berkley, US Justice Department, Paris, Olympics, Google, Olympic Locations: Ukraine, Paris, Russia, Russian, Washington , DC, ”, South Africa, deepfakes, South Korea, France

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailEther falls after SEC approves rule change that would open door for spot ETH ETFs: CNBC Crypto WorldCNBC Crypto World features the latest news and daily trading updates from the digital currency markets and provides viewers with a look at what's ahead with high-profile interviews, explainers, and unique stories from the ever-changing crypto industry. On today's show, Hany Rashwan, CEO of 21Shares, one of the potential issuers of spot ether ETFs in the United States, explains what comes next after the SEC approved a rule change that would pave the way for the products.

Persons: explainers, Hany Rashwan Organizations: SEC, ETH, CNBC Crypto, CNBC Locations: United States

☆ How to Stay Safe in Extreme Heat
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Nina Agrawal | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Rates of emergency room visits for conditions related to heat rose substantially in many parts of the United States last summer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We asked emergency room doctors around the country what the public should know about extreme heat. Heat-related illnesses range from minor rashes to life-threatening heat strokes. Mild heat illnesses include heat rash; swelling in the hands and feet; muscle cramps; and heat syncope, or a fainting episode after standing too long or getting up suddenly. People with heat exhaustion have more severe symptoms, which could include headache, nausea, vomiting and dizziness.

Persons: Hany, Jackson Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, Jackson Memorial Hospital Locations: United States, Miami

US law enforcement officials have also been closely monitoring the incident to determine if a federal crime was committed, a senior US official familiar with the matter told CNN. Tom Brenner/ReutersA longtime political consultant, Kramer worked for Kanye West’s 2020 presidential bid and has a history of producing robocalls. Phillips’ campaign said it had no knowledge of his reported involvement with the AI Biden call. He said that Kramer told him to delete all of the emails between the two of them, and that he did. As figures at the center of American political scandals go, Carpenter is certainly “eccentric” – a word he uses to describe himself.

Persons: Paul Carpenter –, –, Joe Biden’s, Carpenter, Dean Phillips, Biden, ”, “ I’m, Steve Kramer, Phillips, Kramer, Carpenter’s, Biden’s, Tom Brenner, Kanye, Phillips ’, robocalls, ” Phillips, Katie Dolan, ” Dolan, Hank Sheinkopf, Sheinkopf, CNN’s Jake Tapper, “ I’d, “, who’s, Donald Trump, Sen, Lindsey Graham of, ” Carpenter, he’s, didn’t, Bruce Kramer, Brandon Kizy –, Paul Carpenter, CNN “ Paul, Paul, ” Kizy, Hany Farid, we’ve, ” Liz Purdy, I’d, “ I’ve, ” CNN’s Alison Main, Allison Gordon, Isabelle Chapman, Yahya Abou, Ghazala Organizations: CNN, New, Minnesota Rep, Democratic, NBC News, Commission, Reuters, South, Republican, University of California Berkeley Locations: Orleans, New Hampshire, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina

☆ Diapers Instead of Bridal Gowns: Gaza Tailors Adapt to Wartime Needs
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

"There are 1.5 million displaced people in Rafah city and there are no Pampers," said Yasser Abu Gharara, owner of the tailoring workshop now making diapers. "We are not only talking about diapers for babies, but also for the elderly and people with disabilities," he said. For displaced people living in tent camps, the dearth of diapers has been worsening the daily struggle to keep babies and toddlers clean and dry. Hany Subh, a displaced father, said he was looking for diapers in the market every day, but the prices were too high. The war has reduced much of the enclave to rubble and caused what the U.N. has called a humanitarian catastrophe.

Persons: Mohammed Salem, Yasser Abu Gharara, Abu Gharara, Inas Al, Masry, Estelle Shirbon, William Maclean Locations: Mohammed Salem RAFAH, Gaza, Rafah, Egypt, Israel

☆ Battling AI election interference: How to hold bad actors respnosible
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBattling AI election interference: How to hold bad actors respnosibleHany Farid, UC Berkeley professor of computer science, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the use of generative AI for election interference purposes, how to best regulate AI-generated content on the internet, and more.

Persons: respnosible Hany Farid Organizations: UC Berkeley

The New Hampshire attorney general's office on Monday said it was investigating reports of an apparent robocall that used artificial intelligence to mimic President Joe Biden's voice and discourage voters in the state from coming to the polls during Tuesday's primary election. Attorney General John Formella said the recorded message, which was sent to multiple voters on Sunday, appears to be an illegal attempt to disrupt and suppress voting. “Your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday.”It is not true that voting in Tuesday's primary precludes voters from casting a ballot in November's general election. The attorney general's office said anyone who has received the call should email the state Justice Department's election law unit. “Any effort to discourage voters is disgraceful and an unacceptable affront to democracy,” Dolan said in a statement.

Persons: Joe Biden's, John Formella, ”, Donald Trump, Biden, “, Kathy Sullivan, Sullivan, Joe Biden, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Hany Farid, Katie Dolan, Dean Phillips, Phillips, ” Dolan Organizations: New, The Associated Press, Democratic, Democratic Party, University of California, Dean Phillips of, Trump, Associated Press, AP Locations: New Hampshire, November's, South Carolina, America, Slovakia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Berkeley, Dean Phillips of Minnesota

☆ Biden campaign prepares legal fight against election deepfakes
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Donie O'Sullivan | Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

In recent months, the campaign has spun up the internal task force, dubbed the “Social Media, AI, Mis/Disinformation (SAID) Legal Advisory Group,” part of a broader effort across the campaign to counter all forms of disinformation, TJ Ducklo, a senior adviser to the Biden campaign, told CNN. It aims to have enough prepared to be able to run a campaign-wide tabletop exercise in the first half of 2024. Existing US election law prohibits campaigns from “fraudulently misrepresenting other candidates or political parties,” but whether this prohibition extends to AI-generated content is an open question. Any political advertiser that uses deepfakes in ads on Facebook or Instagram will need to disclose that fact, it said. The Meta report details how some social media platforms are grappling with how to handle deceptive uses of AI.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Biden, ”, Arpit Garg, TJ Ducklo, Garg, Maury Riggan, “, Chuck Schumer, Schumer, Hany Farid, —, Meta, Darren Linvill Organizations: CNN, Department of Homeland, Social Media, European Union, Digital Services, Republicans, Federal, Republican National Committee, Democratic National Committee, University of California, Facebook, Clemson University’s, RNC Locations: European, Florida, Berkeley, United States

☆ How a real Trump supporter unknowingly became the face of a fake liberal Twitter account
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Jaide Timm-Garcia | Isabel Rosales | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Erica Marsh quickly rose to fame earlier this year as a viral left-wing voice on social media. But the face behind the account is real— and belongs to a Republican Trump voter from Florida. Ballesteros first heard about Erica Marsh in March, when her friends brought it to her attention. Mystery remains behind fake accountIt’s unclear exactly who, or what, was behind the Erica Marsh account, or for what purpose it was created. For Ballesteros, even though the Erica Marsh account is no longer active, she worries about the impact it could have on her personal life, particularly if someone recognizes her in public.

Persons: Erica Marsh, Matt Gaetz, “, Erica Marsh’s, Courtney Ballesteros, Ballesteros, ”, Darren Linvill, Hany Farid, Farid, ” Ballesteros, isn’t, CNN she’s, Donald Trump, Biden’s, Linvill, ” Linvill, ” Farid, “ We’re, we’ve, that’s Organizations: CNN, Twitter, Republican Trump, Republican, Media, Clemson University, UC Berkeley, Obama Foundation . Representatives, Russian Internet Research Agency, Facebook Locations: Florida, Ruskin , Florida, Tampa, spurts, United States

☆ UC Berkeley professor Hany Farid on regulating A.I. in political ads: This is a manipulation problem
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailUC Berkeley professor Hany Farid on regulating A.I. in political ads: This is a manipulation problemHany Farid, UC Berkeley professor of digital forensics, misinformation, and human perception, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss federal regulators moving to crack down on A.I.-generated images and audio in political advertising, as the Federal Election Commission unanimously agreed to seek public comment on whether existing rules aimed at preventing fraudulent campaign advertising apply to ads that use A.I., and more.

Persons: Hany Farid Organizations: UC Berkeley, Federal Locations: A.I

☆ UC Berkeley professor Hany Farid explains the new threat factor in the misinformation landscape
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailUC Berkeley professor Hany Farid explains the new threat factor in the misinformation landscapeHany Farid, Professor of Digital Forensics, Misinformation, and Human Perception at the University of California, Berkeley, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the use of A.I. in political ads, the rise of fake A.I.-based ads on the campaign trail, and more.

Persons: Hany Farid Organizations: UC Berkeley, Digital Forensics, University of California Locations: Berkeley

The video does not disclose any potential AI use and the DeSantis campaign did not respond to a question about whether the images were fake or whether AI was used to create them. A person with knowledge of the DeSantis campaign operation said the Trump side had been "continuously posting fake images and false talking points to smear the governor." The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Drexel professor Stamm's forensics analysis tool suggests the images were made using an AI model called a diffusion model, which underpin popular AI image generation products like DALL-E and Stability AI. "At some point the AI systems will be outputting images that have no differences from real images," said James O'Brien, a professor of computer science at the University of California, Berkeley.

Persons: Donald Trump, Russell Cheyne, Anthony Fauci, Trump, Fauci, Ron DeSantis, Matthew Stamm, Hany Farid, DeSantis, Drexel, Biden, James O'Brien, Alexandra Ulmer, Anna Tong, Seana Davis, Rosalba O'Brien, Stephen Coates Organizations: U.S, Republican, Aberdeen International Airport, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Republican White, Twitter, Trump, Drexel University, University of California, Republican National Committee, RNC, Thomson Locations: Aberdeen, Scotland, Britain, Florida, Berkeley, U.S, China, Taiwan, San Francisco

☆ How tech companies are working to help detect AI-generated images
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Jennifer Korn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

In recent months, an AI-generated image of Pope Francis in a puffer jacket went viral and AI-generated images of former President Donald Trump getting arrested were widely shared, shortly before he was indicted. Some lawmakers are now calling for tech companies to address the problem. Reality Defender and Hive Moderation are working on the former. Other tech companies like Google appear to be pursuing a playbook that pulls a bit from both approaches. “We need everybody to participate.”For now, however, tech companies continue to move forward with pushing more AI tools into the world.

Persons: Jeffrey McGregor, “ We’re, we’re, ”, McGregor, ” McGregor, Pope Francis, Donald Trump, Vera Jourova, –, “, Dall, ChatGPT, ” Hany Farid, ” Farid, Tom Cruise deepfake, ” Ben Colman, Kevin Guo, ” Guo, —, Andy Parsons, Bing, Farid, ” Parsons Organizations: New, New York CNN, Microsoft, ” Tech, European, Google, Meta, Big Tech, Reality, University of California, CNN, Realty, “, Coalition, Adobe, CAI, BBC, Intel, Sony Locations: New York, EU, Berkeley

CNN —A fake image purporting to show an explosion near the Pentagon was shared by multiple verified Twitter accounts on Monday, causing confusion and leading to a brief dip in the stock market. “Large explosion near the Pentagon complex in Washington DC. Under owner Elon Musk, Twitter has allowed anyone to obtain a verified account in exchange for a monthly payment. A fake image purporting to show an explosion near the Pentagon was shared by multiple verified Twitter accounts on Monday, causing confusion and leading to a brief dip in the stock market. AI-Generated Fake Image/Twitter“Republic had aired news of a possible explosion near the Pentagon citing a post & picture tweeted by RT,” the outlet later posted on its Twitter account.

☆ AI scam calls: This mom believes fake kidnappers cloned her daughter's voice
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Faith Karimi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

But her older daughter, 15-year-old Brianna, was away training for a ski race and DeStefano feared it could be a medical emergency. “A scammer could use AI to clone the voice of your loved one,” the agency said in a statement. Law enforcement has not verified whether AI was used in her case, but DeStefano believes scammers cloned her daughter’s voice. It was the voice, matching with the crying.”Jennifer DeStefano, right, with her daughter, Brianna: "A mother knows her child," she said. She’s tried to figure out how the virtual kidnappers got her daughter’s voice, and has considered several scenarios.

That is because algorithms that power generative AI tools like ChatGPT and its successor GPT-4 operate in a somewhat similar way as those that suggest videos to YouTube users, the experts added. While the case does not directly relate to generative AI, Justice Neil Gorsuch noted that AI tools that generate "poetry" and "polemics" likely would not enjoy such legal protections. Section 230 protections generally apply to third-party content from users of a technology platform and not to information a company helped to develop. 'CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR OWN ACTIONS'Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, who helped draft that law while in the House of Representatives, said the liability shield should not apply to generative AI tools because such tools "create content." They said tools like ChatGPT operate like search engines, directing users to existing content in response to a query.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBitcoin rises to start March, and another ex-FTX exec pleads guilty: CNBC Crypto WorldCNBC Crypto World features the latest news and daily trading updates from the digital currency markets and provides viewers with a look at what's ahead with high-profile interviews, explainers, and unique stories from the ever-changing crypto industry. On today's show, Hany Rashwan, CEO of 21Shares, discusses how institutions are thinking about crypto investing.

☆ Nonconsensual deepfake porn puts AI in spotlight
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Donie O'Sullivan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

chatbot that can answer questions and write prose, is a reminder of how powerful this kind of technology can be. Deepfakes have been used to put women’s faces, without their consent, into often aggressive pornographic videos. It’s a depraved AI spin on the humiliating practice of revenge porn, with deepfake videos appearing so real it can be hard for female victims to deny it isn’t really them. Amid the fallout, the Twitch streamer “Sweet Anita” realized deepfake depictions of her in pornographic videos exist online. Twitch streamer "Sweet Anita" during her interview with CNN.

☆ Is the worst over for bitcoin and the rest of crypto?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Paul R. La Monica | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

This is not the first crypto winter, as long-term fans of bitcoin can attest. “It is very clear that we as an industry need to build better products,” said Hany Rashwan, CEO of 21.co, a crypto investment firm. That’s about triple where prices were during the depths of the crypto bear market in the early pandemic days of 2020. Others point out that the underlying blockchain technology behind bitcoin and crypto remains solid. Pride and Reynolds added that it’s erroneous to think that bitcoin can hold up well during stock market volatility.

☆ Crypto firm 21Shares lists bitcoin ETP on Nasdaq Dubai
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Yousef Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Crypto investment products firm 21.co said on Wednesday its subsidiary 21Shares AG has listed a bitcoin exchange-traded product on Nasdaq Dubai, making it the Middle East's first physically-backed bitcoin ETP. The 21Shares Bitcoin ETP trades, under the ticker ABTC, in the same way as the 21Shares Bitcoin ETP in Europe, 21.co said in a statement. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterFollowing the Dubai listing, 21Shares has 46 listed products in seven countries, 21.co added. But Sherif El-Haddad, appointed 21Shares head of Middle East in August, was upbeat, saying cryptocurrencies were "fast becoming the asset of the future for investors and wealth managers around the world". Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Yousef Saba; editing by Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ FIFA lucrează la organizarea unei Ligi Mondiale
▼ + stars: | 2021-04-29 | by ( Onixmedia Srl | ) diez.md time to read: +1 min

Federația internațională de fotbal poartă în prezent discuții privind crearea unei Ligi Mondiale, la care să participe cele mai importante cluburi de pe toate continentele, a dezvăluit egipteanul Hany Abo Rida, membru în Consiliul FIFA, informează cotidianul sportiv AS, notează AGERPRESLiga Mondială FIFA are în vedere reunirea câștigătorilor ligilor la nivel internațional. „Important este că FIFA și Confederația Africană de Fotbal (CAF), împreună cu toate confederațiile de pe celelalte continente discută pentru a organiza o Ligă Mondială, în care să trei sau patru echipe din Africa vor juca împotriva cluburilor de top din întreaga lume. Este o provocare uriașă, la care ne gândim să luăm parte în următorii doi ani”, a declarat Abo Rida pentru televiziunea egipteană. „Organizarea Super Ligii africane este doar o propunere, deoarece industria fotbalului este o problemă financiară importantă. Se poartă discuții”, a mai spus Hany Abo Rida.

Persons: Abo Rida, Rida, Președintele, africanul Patrice Motsepe, Florentino Perez Organizations: FIFA, AS, AGERPRES Liga Mondială FIFA, Confederația Africană, Fotbal, CAF, Ligă Mondială, Africane de Fotbal, clubului Real Madrid, UEFA Locations: Africa, Europa, Florentino

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