DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Bill Gates recommends a 'perfect read for the holidays'—and 4 other books 'to keep you warm' this winter
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-03 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

If the idea of curling up with a good book this holiday season sounds appealing, Bill Gates has some recommendations for you. Suleyman is a co-founder of AI research lab DeepMind and the current CEO of Microsoft AI. The book "offers something rare: a clear-eyed view of both the extraordinary opportunities and genuine risks ahead," wrote Gates. The book offers lessons "about how leaders have tackled tough times before [that] are both comforting and fascinating," Gates wrote. "It's hard to deny the similarities between the 1960s and today — a time of political upheaval, generational conflict, and protests on college campuses," wrote Gates.

Persons: Bill Gates, Gates, Grady Hillhouse, Hillhouse, Roger Federer, he'd, Mustafa Suleyman, Suleyman, Jonathan Haidt, Gen Zers, Haidt, we're, Doris Kearns Goodwin Goodwin, Richard Goodwin, John F, Kennedy, Lyndon B, Johnson Organizations: Microsoft, New York University, CNBC Locations: Seattle, It's

☆ OpenAI is reportedly struggling to improve its next big AI model. It's a warning for the entire AI industry.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-11 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

It reignites a debate about the feasibility of developing increasingly advanced models and AI scaling laws — the theoretical rules about how the models improve. It remains to be seen how smart an AI model can get when it has that much capital thrown at it. There could also be strategies to make AI models smarter by enhancing the inference portion of development. The model OpenAI released in September — called OpenAI o1 — focused more on inference improvements. Still, it's clear that, like Altman, much of the industry remains firm in its conviction that scaling laws are the driver of AI performance.

Persons: OpenAI's, It's, —, Sam Altman, Fabrice Beaulieu, Altman, OpenAI, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Ion Stoica, Gary Marcus, Anthropic, Marcus, Claude, Ilya Sutskever, Dario Amodei, Kevin Scott, we're, Scott, they've Organizations: Service, OpenAI's, Orion, Business, Getty, Companies, New York University, Reuters, Sequoia, o1 Locations: GPT, Silicon Valley, AFP

☆ This simple brain trick can help you make better decisions, says neuroscientist: 'It has a huge effect on your performance'
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-09 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

It's harder to answer questions or solve problems when you're asked to choose between more than four solutions, research shows. Neuroscientist Paul Glimcher has a simple strategy to cut through the noise and consistently make smart decisions: Instead of trying to pick the best choice, start by picking the worst. Process of elimination isn't exactly a new concept — you might have learned about it in elementary school — but it can help you avoid mistakes and improve your accuracy making everyday decisions, Glimcher said. "We're just good at the binary choice task — pick your best and eliminate your worst," Glimcher added. That's because picking from fewer options can help us make more accurate decisions, said Glimcher.

Persons: Paul Glimcher, Glimcher Organizations: New York University, Fast, CNBC

☆ OpenAI takes another step closer to getting AI to think like humans with new 'o1' model
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-12 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The new model can work through complex tasks and, in comparison to previous models, solve more difficult problems in science, coding, and math. AdvertisementFor example, it beat GPT-4o — a multimodal model OpenAI unveiled in May — in the qualifying exam for the International Mathematics Olympiad by a long shot. Over the summer, while o1 was still in development, the company unveiled a new five-level classification system for tracking its progress toward that goal. But when Mollick asked o1 to solve a crossword puzzle, it thought about it for a "full 108 seconds" before responding. AdvertisementSince OpenAI unveiled GPT-4 last year, it's been releasing successive iterations in its quest to invent AGI.

Persons: —, OpenAI, Ethan Mollick, Mollick, Gary Marcus, it's Organizations: Service, Business, o1, International, Company, University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, New York University Locations: —, AGI, GPT

How Close Are the Planet’s Climate Tipping Points? How close today’s ice is to suffering the same fate is something scientists are still trying to figure out. Sudden Shift in the West African Monsoon0 +3 +6 +9 +12 +16 +18˚F WE ARE HERE Degrees of warming 0 +3 +6 +9 +12 +16 +18˚F WE ARE HERE Degrees of warming 0 +3 +6 +9 +12 +16 +18˚F WE ARE HERE Degrees of warmingAround 15,000 years ago, the Sahara started turning green. When it might happen: Hard to predict. “With every gram of additional CO2 in the atmosphere, we are increasing the likelihood of tipping events,” he said.

Persons: ”, Tapio Schneider, “ It’s, David Holland, Niklas Boers, “ Organizations: California Institute of Technology, West Antarctic, New York University, Animals, Amazon, Technical University of Munich, Potsdam Institute, Climate Impact Locations: Western Canada, Alaska, Siberia, Greenland, Antarctica, Sahara, North Africa, East Africa, Africa, Caribbean, Europe

☆ Richard Branson: 6 inspiring books that changed my life—including one 'everyone should read'
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-01 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A great book can challenge your perceptions, shape your worldview, and impart messages that stay with you forever. Six books that billionaire Virgin Group founder Richard Branson has read over the course of his life have left that sort of lasting effect. Most recently, in April, he released his audiobook memoir, "Losing and Finding My Virginity: The Full Story." Branson calls it "a very entertaining read that has always stayed with me." On "Start With Why," Branson says: "My key takeaway was that it doesn't matter what you do, but why you do it ….

Persons: Richard Branson, Branson, Bryan Stevenson Stevenson, Walter McMillian, Jamie Foxx, Luke Rhinehart, George Cockcroft, Simon Sinek Sinek, Elizabeth Nyamayaro Branson, Nyamayaro Organizations: Virgin Group, CNBC, New York University, Equal, Initiative, Virgin Records, United Nations, UNICEF Locations: Africa, Zimbabwe

☆ Parents should let go of guilt over screens, an expert says
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Matt Villano | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

But what about the guilt parents feel from letting their kids use screens? Their research focused parental guilt over letting their kids use screens more than developmental psychologists say they should. Not surprisingly, parents who feel guilty about their kids’ screen use are more stressed and less likely to report positive relationships with their kids, according to the data. CNN recently talked with Walter about his research, how parents can change their thinking about kids’ screen use, and the impact of screen time guilt on the family system. CNN: What is the trickle-down impact of parents feeling guilt over screen time?

Persons: Nathan Walter, Walter, It’s, Covid, There’s, you’re, Jonathan Haidt, I’m, ‘, there’s, Let’s, Matt Villano, Read Organizations: CNN, US, New York University, Northwestern University, Media, don’t Locations: Haidt, Northern California, whalehead.com

☆ 'Shark Tank' star Kevin O'Leary says pro-Palestinian student protesters are 'screwed' when they apply for jobs because employers will identify them through AI
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The "Shark Tank" host said employers could identify applicants who joined in the protests using AI. Advertisement"Shark Tank" host and investor Kevin O'Leary says pro-Palestinian student protesters will be "screwed" when they start job hunting. That goes in this pile over here, cause I can get the same person's talent in this pile that's not burning anything," O'Leary told Fox News' The Five on Wednesday. So if you're burning down something, or taking a flag down, or fighting with police, I'm sorry, you're trashing your personal brand," O'Leary told CNN's Laura Coates. "Harassment and intimidation, there's no place for that, frankly at those universities, and certainly no place for that at a company like Exxon Mobil," Woods told the outlet.

Persons: Kevin O'Leary, —, O'Leary, CNN's Laura Coates ., O'Leary isn't, Darren Woods, Woods, Winston, Strawn Organizations: Service, Palestinian, Fox News, CNN, BI, Columbia University, UCLA, Exxon Mobil, CNBC, New York University, Hamas Locations: Gaza, Israel

Yet the idea of building rosters of paid political contributors took off with cable news. MSNBC, CNN and Fox News Channel are, in large part, political talk channels and seek experts to help fill the time. Being on call to opine can be lucrative work; several reports had NBC agreeing to pay McDaniel $300,000 a year. Even NBC News, whose MSNBC cable outlet appeals to liberals, has more than a dozen Republican contributors. John Kasich and Bulwark founder Charlie Sykes — either predate Trump in their active political work or oppose him, or both.

Persons: —, Ronna McDaniel, Donald Trump, McDaniel, Chuck Todd, Rachel Maddow, Cesar Conde, ”, Mark Whitaker, Shana Alexander, James Kilpatrick's, George Stephanopoulos, Tim Russert, Michael Steele, John Kasich, Charlie Sykes —, MAGA, Reince Priebus, Mick Mulvaney, Mulvaney, Priebus, Tom Bossert, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Trump, David Urban, Mark Esper, Griffin, Mike Pompeo, Alex Conant, Mark Lukasiewicz, ” Lukasiewicz, “, Jay Rosen, NBC's Conde, McDaniel didn't, Joe ”, Mika Brzezinski, That's, ” Conant, Brian Roberts, Conde, Rebecca Blumenstein, Rashida Jones, Carrie Budoff Brown, Jones, Margaret Sullivan, ___ David Bauder Organizations: NBC News, Republican National Committee, GOP, Republican, NBC Universal, MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, NBC, RNC, Ohio Gov, Trump, CBS, ABC News, Trump Homeland Security, Networks, Hofstra, “ Journalists, New York University, ” Networks, Republicans, Comcast, Washington Post, Center for Journalism, Columbia University, Guardian, Associated Press Locations: Washington, MSDNC

☆ Fani Willis takes the stand hellbent on setting the record straight — but legal experts are split on whether her testimony did more harm than good
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | Haven Orecchio-Egresitz | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Citing a filing from Wade's divorce proceedings, attorneys for the defendants alleged that Wade and Willis had an improper relationship. A witness for the defense attorneys alleged Thursday that Willis and Wade's relationship began in 2019. Nathan Wade, the Georgia prosecutor who admitted to a relationship with his colleague, Fulton County DA Fani Willis, in court. Fulton County DA Fani Willis testifies at a hearing Feb. 15 in Atlanta on her relationship with Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade. Most experts were skeptical that the evidence presented Thursday would lead to Willis or Wade being dismissed from the case.

Persons: —, Fani Willis, Nathan Wade, Donald Trump, Scott McAfee, Willis, Wade, pugnacious, Mike Roman, Trump, Stephen Gillers, McCaffee, I've, It's, Gillers, Norman Eisen, Trump's, DA Willis, Eisen, Sarah Krissoff, Krissoff, Mark Bederow, wasn't, Bederow, Neama, Cash, Rahmani, Pool Willis, I'm Organizations: Service, Business, Trump, Fulton, New York University, YouTube, Willis Locations: ATLANTA , Georgia, Fulton County, Georgia, Atlanta, New York, Manhattan, California

The hefty sum underscores the legal jeopardy Trump faces as he marches toward securing the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment on the legal spending. Trump’s campaign paid Atlanta attorney Steven Sadow $1.5 million in the second half of 2023. Campaign money was also used to pay attorneys who have represented co-defendants and potential witnesses in the Trump cases. The New York attorney general’s case against Trump centers on his business financial statements.

Persons: — Donald Trump’s, Eli Bartov, Bartov, Arthur Engoron, Trump, Richard Briffault, ” Briffault, he’s, Alina Habba, Jean Carroll, Carroll, “, ” Trump, schemed, Chris Kise, Foley, Lardner, Kise, Steven Sadow, Sadow, Brand, Walt Nauta, He’d, Engoron, he’d Organizations: WASHINGTON, New York University, Trump’s, New, Associated Press, Columbia Law School, White, Trump, America, New York, Continental, Atlanta, Brand Woodward Law, Save America Locations: New York, New Jersey, Carroll, York, Largo, Florida, Georgia, New York City, Washington, Trump’s, Lago

☆ Journalism professor’s six-word mantra is a blueprint for how news outlets should cover the 2024 race
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

“The stakes, of course, mean the stakes for American democracy,” Rosen told me by phone Tuesday. Needless to say, sounding the alarm on Trump’s disturbing conduct is more difficult than engaging in horse race coverage. “And [horse race coverage] is an easy way to make a complicated subject come alive for audiences,” Rosen added. “Rather, that the horse race should not be the model for how you design your coverage. “We are getting more and more stakes journalism from our national media,” Rosen said.

Persons: CNN — “, Jay Rosen, Rosen, —, ” Rosen, “, Donald Trump, they’re, ” That’s, “ Rather, ” Organizations: CNN, York University, The New York Times, Washington Post, Associated Press, MSNBC Locations: U.S

☆ Bill Ackman's 3,138-word letter to the president of Harvard shows he's not slowing down in his fight against antisemitism
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Bill Ackman sent a 3,138-word letter to the president of Harvard on November 4. On Saturday, Ackman took to X — the platform formerly known as Twitter — to share a 3,138-word letter he sent to Harvard President Claudine Gay. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn the letter, Ackman outlined a seven-step plan that he says Harvard can take to reduce antisemitism on campus. Please see my below letter to the President of Harvard University sent today:November 4, 2023Dear President Gay,I am writing this letter to you regretfully. "I would be delighted to help in any way that I can to enable you to succeed in this mission and as Harvard's president.

Persons: Bill Ackman, Ackman, —, Bill Ackman isn't, X, Claudine Gay, Gay, …, Israel, wouldn't, Nikki Haley, MSNBC's Mehdi Hasan, Hasan, Winston, Strawn, he's Organizations: Harvard, Service, Israel, Harvard Business School, Palestine, Harvard University, Hamas, GOP, New York University, Ackman Locations: Israel

☆ Young people who work remotely are 'probably not going to become CEOs' and make tons of money, an NYU business professor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Gen Zers choosing remote work and work-life balance may face consequences further down the line. That's according to NYU professor Suzy Welch who spoke with Insider about Gen Z's work habits. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . She said: "There's never really been a time where you could just sort of show up at work, work nine to five and have wild success.

Persons: Suzy Welch, Welch, —, Gen Zers, They're, Scott Galloway, they're, There's, it's, That's Organizations: Service, York University, NYU Stern School of Business, Deloitte Locations: adulting

Company bosses have vowed never to hire members of a university's student groups that condemned Israel. The fallout from the Israel-Hamas war has spilled into workplaces everywhere, as top leaders of prominent companies weigh in with their views while workers complain their voices are not being heard. Starbucks filed a lawsuit to stop Starbucks Workers United from using its name and a similar logo. Workers United, the parent union of Starbucks Workers United, responded with its own lawsuit saying Starbucks defamed the union by implying it supports terrorism. Starbucks Workers United tweeted a longer message on Friday denouncing Israel’s “occupation” and “threats of genocide Palestinians face” while also condemning antisemitism and Islamophobia.

Persons: Israel, J.P Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Albert Bourla, Pfizer, ” Bourla, Paddy Cosgrave, “, David Marcus, Cosgrave, Jonathan Neman, Winston, Strawn, Isra, Abuhasna, Israel’s, Angela Berg, Perelaks, Berg, Julie Sweet, David, Allison Grinberg, Funes, didn't, ”, Grinberg, Dee, Ann Durbin Organizations: Starbucks, Company, Hamas, U.S, Google, Pfizer, Summit, Siemens, Intel, Harvard, New York University, Student Bar Association, Islamic Relations, Palestinian, Starbucks Workers, . Workers United, Starbucks Workers United, Accenture, Associated Press, Liberty Mutual, Israel . Liberty Mutual Locations: Israel, Gaza, Chicago, Palestinian American, U.S, Palestine, Boston, Funes

☆ A star voice actress was fired from a show after posting online about the Israel-Hamas war
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Voice actress Tara Strong was fired from "Boxtown" over posts on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Several law students have also had job offers pulled due to statements on the Israel-Hamas war. AdvertisementAdvertisementSuccessful voice actress Tara Strong was fired from the upcoming animated indie TV show "Boxtown" due to posts she shared about the Israel-Hamas war, the show said in a statement. The show confirmed in a statement posted Monday that she was fired over posts she made about the war. Strong's firing comes as others are also losing job opportunities over statements on the Israel-Hamas war.

Persons: Tara Strong, —, Strong, I'm, Charlie Gavin, Israel Organizations: Service, Twitter, Palestinian, ISIS, HAMAS, Columbia University, Harvard University, A New York University Locations: Israel, Palestine, A

☆ Harvard has become the poster child for American culture wars in the 11 days since Hamas' terrorist attack on Israel. Here's what's happened.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

Harvard University has become a flashpoint in the intergenerational divide on the Israel-Hamas war. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn the 11 days since Palestinian militant group Hamas launched its terrorist attack on Israel, Harvard University has become a flashpoint for intergenerational tensions about the war — and the broader culture war around campus free speech. Hamas launches terrorist attacks on IsraelPalestinian militant group Hamas launched a series of terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, with Israel retaliating. AdvertisementAdvertisement"These hateful Harvard students are the future leaders of our society," Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York wrote on X. Some student groups backtrackSome student groups that co-signed the original statement have since withdrawn their signatures.

Persons: Israel, —, Israel retaliating, Bill Ross, Ian Bremmer, Bremmer, Larry Summers, Tom Williams, Summers, Seth Moulton of, Moulton, Republican Sen, Ted Cruz, Rep, Ritchie Torres, Harvard Hillel, Bill Ackman, @harvard, Meredith Weenick, Weenick, Idan Ofer, Batia, Les Wexner, Ackman, Joe McCarthy, Claudine Gay, Craig F, Walker, Gay, Harvard Crimson, Israel's, Joseph Prezioso, Elise Stefanik, Win McNamee, Marc Rowan, Jon Huntsman Jr, Elizabeth Magill, Davis Polk, Wardwell, Winston, Strawn Organizations: Harvard University, Service, Hamas, Harvard, Republicans, Israel Palestinian, UN, Gaza's Hamas, Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups, Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee, Inc, Getty, Republican, New York, Palestine, Alpha, CNBC, Harvard Crimson, Conservative, Media, Harvard University Police Department, Quantum, Group, Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, CNN, Wexner Foundation, Bloomberg, Boston Globe, Nepali Student Association, Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity, Harvard Yard, New York Republican, New, Apollo Global Management, University of Pennsylvania, Huntsman, University, Columbia University, New York University, NYU Student Bar Association Locations: Israel, Gaza, Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Ted Cruz of Texas, Harvard's, Harvard, Cambridge , Massachusetts, AFP, New York, Utah, Columbia

☆ A Berkeley law professor is telling law firms not to hire his antisemitic students
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Berkeley law professor wrote in a WSJ op-ed that law firms shouldn't hire his antisemitic students. AdvertisementAdvertisementA law professor from the University of California Berkeley is telling law firms not to hire his antisemitic students. "Legal employers in the recruiting process should do what Winston & Strawn did: treat these law students like the adults they are. If a student endorses hate, dehumanization or anti-Semitism, don't hire him," Solomon wrote in the op-ed, published on Sunday. Solomon is a corporate law professor who specializes in business law as well as law and economics.

Persons: Steven Davidoff Solomon, —, Winston, Strawn, Solomon, Bill Ackman, wouldn't, Israel, Shearman, Sterling, Deringer Organizations: Service, University of California, New York University, Hamas, Harvard University, Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups, Harvard, Justice, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University Locations: Berkeley, Israel, Palestine, Palestinian, Gaza

☆ 3 law students from Harvard and Columbia lost their job offers over their student organizations' statements on the Israel-Hamas war
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Davis Polk has pulled job offers to three law students from Harvard and Columbia. The firm said the students were part of statements on the Israel-Hamas war that went against the firm's values. The move comes after an NYU law student also had a job offer revoked over a statement on Israel. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell has rescinded job offers to three students from Columbia University and Harvard University due to their involvement in student organizations whose statements on the Israel-Hamas war ran counter to the firm's values. The law firm Winston & Strawn withdrew its job offer to a New York University law student who also published a statement on the Hamas attacks on Israel.

Persons: Davis Polk, —, Neil Barr, Winston, Strawn, Israel Organizations: Harvard, Columbia, Service, Wardwell, Columbia University, Harvard University, law.com, Hamas, Israel Defense Forces, Ministry of Health, New York University, NYU Student Bar Association Locations: Israel, launchcounterattacks, Gaza, Europe

☆ An NYU law student lost their post-grad job offer over their statement blaming Israel for the Hamas attacks, firm says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An NYU law student has lost their job offer after publicly blaming Israel for Hamas' attacks. Law firm Winston & Strawn said it withdrew its offer to the student because of their remarks. The student, president of the NYU Student Bar Association, issued a Monday letter condemning Israel. AdvertisementAdvertisementA New York University law student who published a statement condemning Israel for Hamas' attacks has lost their job offer at Winston & Strawn, the law firm said on Tuesday. "This message was not from NYU School of Law as an institution and does not speak for the leadership of the Law School," McKenzie wrote.

Persons: Israel, Strawn, —, Winston, Ryna Workman, Workman, NYU School of Law Dean Troy McKenzie, McKenzie Organizations: Winston, NYU Student Bar Association, Service, York University, Strawn, NYU School of Law, Law, NYU, Israel Defense Forces, Gaza, Gaza Ministry, Health Locations: Hamas, Israel, New York, Palestine, Gaza

☆ I'm an NYU student and just returned from my semester abroad in Madrid. Here's what I wish I knew before I moved overseas.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Isabel Stokes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I'm a New York University student, and I just returned from my semester abroad in Madrid. Now that I'm back home in my NYC apartment, I realize I learned a lot from my semester abroad. I learned that language barriers were not a reason to stop talking, dim your personality, or expect others to accommodate you. Many students felt pressure to travel, and I did, too. Besides that, I was in Madrid — a global city with so much to see and learn.

Persons: pickpocketing, —, didn't, Adolfo Suárez, it's Organizations: New York University, Service, Madrid, NYU, Adolfo Suárez Madrid, Barajas Airport Locations: Madrid, Morocco, Chamberí, Barcelona, Spain, Toledo, Valencia, Canary, it'll

☆ A New York university fired two employees after they included their pronouns in work emails, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Houghton University has dismissed 2 employees over the usage of pronouns in emails, per The New York Times. Raegan Zelaya and Shua Wilmot pointed to their gender-neutral names in explaining their use of pronouns. A university spokesperson told The Times said the institution has never "solely" terminated anyone over pronoun usage. Zelaya and Wilmot told The Times they had a reason for choosing to utilize pronouns in their emails, pointing to their gender-neutral names that sometimes cause people to misgender. The firings at Houghton University are the latest flashpoint amid an onslaught of anti-LGBTQ legislation and movements across the country.

☆ US senator introduces bill to create a federal agency to regulate AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —Days after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testified in front of Congress and proposed creating a new federal agency to regulate artificial intelligence, a US senator has introduced a bill to do just that. On Thursday, Colorado Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet unveiled an updated version of legislation he introduced last year that would establish a Federal Digital Platform Commission. And for the most significant platforms — companies the bill calls “systemically important” — the bill would create requirements for algorithmic audits and public risk assessments of the harms their tools could cause. The debate over whether the US government should establish a separate federal agency to police AI tools may become a significant focus of those efforts following Altman’s testimony this week. Altman suggested in a Senate hearing on Tuesday that such an agency could restrict how AI is developed through licenses or credentialing for AI companies.

Once known as Square, Block agreed in March 2021 to pay $306 million for an 87.5% stake in Tidal. The pension fund also said Dorsey, a co-founder of Block and Twitter, was Block's only top executive who supported the purchase, and bought Tidal because he and Jay-Z were friends. But in concluding that Block directors did not breach their fiduciary duties, McCormick said she could not "presume bad faith based on the merits of the deal alone." Jay-Z, the rapper and music mogul whose real name is Shawn Carter, joined San Francisco-based Block's board after the Tidal purchase and remains a director. The Delaware case was a derivative lawsuit that sought to have Block's directors or their insurers pay damages to the company for shareholders' benefit.

☆ The rise of AI will only make Big Tech more powerful, NYU researchers warn
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Emilia David | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

That gives Big Tech companies an advantage. Last week, AI Now released a report detailing Big Tech's impact on AI development — finding that AI development has been "foundationally reliant" on resources controlled by Big Tech, including data and computing power. AI Now said Big Tech has also been positioned as a crucial part of the US-China race, giving them geopolitical importance. The report said much of the narrative around AI development has been shaped by Big Tech, from the idea that AI needs unrestricted innovation for social good to connecting AI development to societal progress. Myers West said better enforcement of antitrust laws and connecting competition with the concept of privacy could limit just how big Big Tech can get.

Search resuls for: "A New York University"

25 mentions found