DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ An AI safety expert outlined a range of speculative doomsday scenarios, from weaponization to power-seeking behavior
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Will Gendron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A research paper by an AI safety expert speculates on future nightmarish scenarios involving the tech. A recent paper authored by Dan Hendrycks, an AI safety expert and director of the Center for AI Safety, highlights a number of speculative risks posed by unchecked development of increasingly intelligent AI. Emergent goals: It's possible that, as AI systems become more complex, they obtain the capability to create their own objectives. An AI safety expert outlined a range of speculative doomsday scenarios from weaponization to power-seeking behavior. A similar sentiment was recently expressed in an open letter signed by Elon Musk and a number of other AI safety experts.

☆ JPMorgan scales down metals business - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A view of the exterior of the JP Morgan Chase & Co. corporate headquarters in New York City May 20, 2015. REUTERS/Mike SegarApril 13 (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) has stopped working with dozens of base metals clients and slashed bonuses of its bankers after last year's nickel crisis, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. JPMorgan's metals business has been under strict internal scrutiny due to the bank's role in the upheaval last year, when the London Metal Exchange (LME) was forced to suspend nickel trading after the metal's prices doubled. JPMorgan has cut numerous base metals clients in Asia, particularly stopping business with privately owned Chinese companies, according to the Bloomberg report. The bank is continuing to work only with a few large, long-standing clients in the region, the report added.

Investors should park some of their money in Hyatt Hotels shares, as high-end leisure and a rebound in international travel drive growth, according to Bernstein. Analyst Richard J. Clarke named the hotel chain his top pick for 2023, noting that Hyatt's strength in luxury stays sets it apart for the biggest revenue acceleration amongst other big hotel groups. The analyst has an outperform rating on Hyatt shares. "Added to that is the highest exposure to the leisure tourists, especially high-end leisure, which gives Hyatt the greatest offset to a potential downturn. "In a blue sky scenario, we would argue that Hyatt's exposure to luxury should deserve a multiple premium even, as we see in the luxury car and goods sectors."

☆ This Y Combinator-backed startup helps reduce climate-warming methane in cow burps. Check out the pitch deck Alga Biosciences used to secure $4 million.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Y Combinator startup Algo Biosciences has developed a way to reduce methane in cow burps. Check out the 11-slide pitch deck the company used to secure $4 million from Collaborative Fund. A Y Combinator-backed startup trying to curb methane spewing cow burps has just landed $4 million in its first institutional funding round. Berkeley-based Alga Biosciences, founded in 2021, has developed a feed additive to reduce methane from cow burps using biochemically modified kelp. Check out the 11 slide pitch deck the company used to raise the funds.

☆ Investing Club mailbag: What's the minimum pullback before I can buy more shares?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

What does the Club consider the minimum improvement in cost basis before buying more shares? A beta of 1 would indicate that the volatility of the stock is on par with the broader market. As fundamental investors and avid market watchers, we look more to valuation metrics to figure out when to buy. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER .

☆ Broad Pay Ranges Can Hamper Cybersecurity Hiring
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Kim S. Nash | Catherine Stupp | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

Companies that list wide pay ranges in cybersecurity job descriptions risk setting false expectations and kindling unrest among existing staff. Seven other states have required pay transparency for the past few years. In cyber recruiting, in particular, broad scales can hamper hiring, said Joyce von Seldeneck, founder and chair of Philadelphia-based Diversified Search Group. The last thing a company wants is to go bring candidates through an entire process and disappoint them at the end.”Newsletter Sign-up WSJ Pro Cybersecurity Cybersecurity news, analysis and insights from WSJ's global team of reporters and editors. While some management consultants say pay transparency can light a fire under employees to work harder for higher compensation, Matthias Muhlert, chief information security officer at gummy-bear maker Haribo GmbH & Co., isn’t so sure.

☆ Zillow's chief economist explains why the party is over for short-term real-estate investing tactics like house-flipping — and says long-term strategies designed to generate cash flow are an investor'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

You know, long run mortgage rates are expected to be around five-and-a-half, six." Economists at other real-estate firms share similar views to Olsen's in respect to mortgage rates, at least for the rest of 2023. Plus, when mortgage rates eventually fall, one can refinance into a lower rate, improving an investor's positive cash flow. In the meantime, there's a way that buyers can get around high mortgage rates, Olsen said. Many sellers are offering concessions, like paying for repairs and helping pay for a rate buydown.

Biden was continuing a strategy his White House has honed on Trump over two years - silence is golden. As president, Biden has lambasted the former president's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) allies and policies, but rarely Trump himself. "They've been smart to stay out of it," Democratic strategist Lis Smith said of the White House strategy on Trump. The split screen of President Biden focused on doing his job well versus Trump and the Republican Party in chaos will only help him." The White House has said it will not comment on Trump because his actions are being investigated by Biden's own Justice Department, which the president has pledged to leave independent.

Biden was continuing a strategy his White House has honed on Trump over two years - silence is golden. Now that Trump has been indicted in a New York hush money case, White House officials indicate they plan to follow the same "keep quiet and carry on" playbook. As president, Biden has lambasted the former president's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) allies and policies, but rarely Trump himself. "They've been smart to stay out of it," Democratic strategist Lis Smith said of the White House strategy on Trump. The split screen of President Biden focused on doing his job well versus Trump and the Republican Party in chaos will only help him."

☆ Netflix restructures film group as it scales back movie output - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 30 (Reuters) - Video streaming service Netflix Inc (NFLX.O) is restructuring its film group, which will result in layoffs and the departure of two of its most experienced executives, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. As part of the restructuring, Netflix will combine small and midsize picture productions units, resulting in a few job cuts, and scale back the company's output to ensure high quality titles, the report said. Lisa Nishimura, responsible for documentaries and smaller-budget films, and Ian Bricke, a vice president in the film group, will be leaving after more than a decade with the company, the report added. Netflix did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Reporting by Yana Gaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Varun H KOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Ukraine's tank force shouldn't stand a chance against Russia's on paper, but dumb mistakes keep tipping the scales
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Russia has more tanks than Ukraine, more updated tanks than Ukraine, and more tank options. All three Western tank models are larger than most Russian tanks and are "quite survivable" thanks to their advanced armor, according to Edmonds. It's still unclear when the Western tanks will arrive or what role they will ultimately play in Ukraine's future offensives. "This stalemated frontline where we are right now, this is not a good environment for tanks," Cancian said. But the number of incoming Western tanks — less than 150 — is unlikely to change the tides of war.

☆ For T. rex and kin, it was a stiff upper lip, not a toothy grin
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] The skeleton of "SUE", the Tyrannosaurus rex is displayed at the Field Museum of Natural History in this undated handout picture. Sealed lips would help saliva secretions in the mouth keep teeth, particularly the enamel, hydrated, Cullen said. An examination of the relationship between tooth size and skull size undercut the idea that large theropods simply had teeth too big to be covered by lips. The study identified large lizard species with lips alive today that possess teeth proportionally bigger than T. rex, relative to skull size. In crocs, teeth show asymmetrical wear, with the side of the exposed teeth facing outward more beat up than the inner side.

The premium OLED TV uses quantum dots, an advanced color tech that Samsung also uses in its QLED TVs. New 2023 Samsung OLED TVs are just starting to hit the market, but they're considerably more expensive than the S95B. Deal Samsung 65-inch S95B OLED 4K TV Samsung's high-end 4K OLED TV uses quantum dots to achieve some of the best color performance on the market. Steven Cohen/InsiderLike other Samsung TVs, the S95B uses the Tizen operating system rather than interfaces like Roku, Fire TV, or Android TV. AmazonThe Samsung S95B is an excellent buy for anyone who wants a high-end TV under $2,000.

☆ Elon Musk is right: AI needs to slow down for the good of society
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Emilia David | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, and over 1,000 others signed a letter calling for a pause on new AI models. Wozniak, Musk, and more than 1,000 other business leaders signed a letter seeking guardrails and a pause on training AI models as the technology grows more powerful. The letter argues powerful AI models like OpenAI's GPT-4 "should only be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable." It's hard to develop responsibly when the free market demands moving quicklyTo be clear, AI, particularly generative AI like ChatGPT, is incredibly transformative technology. Releasing powerful AI models for the public to play with before it's ready isn't making the technology better.

☆ This concrete chemist-turned-CEO wants to decarbonize concrete. Check out the 17-slide pitch deck his startup Carbonaide used to raise new funds.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Concrete accounts for 8% of global CO2 emissions every year and Carbonaide wants to change that. The startup is headed up by a concrete chemist set on decarbonizing an industry he spent 20 years in. Tapio Vehmas' dad, uncle, and brother work in the concrete industry. So far Carbonaide has run a small pilot where it demonstrated a CO2 emissions reduction of 45% compared with traditional concrete, Vehmas said. We got an exclusive look at the pitch deck 17-slide pitch deck the startup used to secure the funds.

☆ Shrinking food stamp benefits for families mean yet another challenge for retailers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Melissa Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This month, pandemic-related emergency funding from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, is ending in most states, leaving many low-income families with less to spend on food. More than 41 million Americans receive funding for food through the federal program. For those households, it will amount to at least $95 less per month to spend on groceries. The nonprofit used to provide about 7 million meals per month before the pandemic and now provides between 11 million and 12 millions meals per month. "We knew these [extra SNAP funds] were going away and they were going to be sunsetted," she said.

☆ China's super rich population drops as tech crackdown, global factors hurt wealth
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Jack Ma, billionaire founder of Alibaba Group, arrives at the "Tech for Good" Summit in Paris, France May 15, 2019. China lost 229 billionaires from the Hurun Global Rich List 2023, accounting more than half of the 445 people who disappeared from the list, which ranks moguls with a minimum net worth of $1 billion, the Hurun Report said on Thursday. The world's second biggest economy also added 69 new billionaires to the list during the period. In China, Jack Ma, founder of China's e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding , dropped to 52nd place from 34th a year earlier, due largely to China's regulatory crackdown on its tech sector. "The only thing I am not certain of is whether there would be a global financial crisis," he said.

☆ These eight charts show why climate change matters right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment ReportGlobal warming is caused when greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane trap heat in the atmosphere. Climate change is already having impacts on human life and well-beingZoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards This chart shows the various impacts climate change has on water availability, food production, health and well-being, cities and infrastructure and biodiversity and ecosystems. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment ReportMany of the worst impacts of climate change will come to pass in the lives of the youngest humans. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment ReportThe globe has warmed by 1.1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the IPCC report says. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment ReportA slight change in the average change of the earth's temperature will impact different populations differently.

☆ Drug developer 89Bio soars as NASH drug succeeds in mid-stage study
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 22 (Reuters) - Drug developer 89Bio Inc <ETNB.O> said on Wednesday its experimental treatment for liver disease NASH met the main goals of a small mid-stage study, sending its shares 30% higher. The drug, pegozafermin, helped reduce liver scarring known as fibrosis as measured on two different scales in patients with NASH, or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, trial data showed. 89Bio said the drug, administered both weekly and every two weeks in the trial, had a safety profile similar to older trials. In the trial, the drug helped significantly reduce fibrosis or liver scarring without the worsening of NASH, compared to a placebo. NASH, a form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is characterized by the organ developing fibrosis or scarring, which can progress to cirrhosis and liver failure.

☆ Looking to buy a house? Follow these 7 tips to ensure you get the best deal, according to economists at Redfin
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Some tips include asking for concessions, buying new, waiting, and buying in cash. In a recent post, Redfin economists shared their top tips for homebuyers right now. 7 tips for homebuyersThe first tip from Chen Zhao, Redfin's economics research team lead, is to wait if you can. Considering how high mortgage rates are, a rate buydown is a concession that could help shoppers buy themselves some time for rates to fall. One counterpoint to this is that home values just about everywhere have also climbed since the start of the pandemic.

☆ Vietnam seizes 7 tonnes ivory in largest wildlife smuggling case in years
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HANOI, March 20 (Reuters) - Vietnamese authorities on Monday seized seven tonnes of ivory smuggled from Angola, the largest seizure of wildlife products in years, the government said. Trade in ivory is illegal in Vietnam but wildlife trafficking remains widespread. Other items often found smuggled into the country include pangolin scales, rhino horns and tiger carcasses. This followed the finding of more than 600 kilograms of African ivory last month at the city's Lach Huyen Port. Last month, a court in Vietnam sentenced a man to 13 years in prison for trafficking nearly 10 tonnes of endangered animal parts from Africa, including ivory and rhino horns.

☆ U.S. FDA approves Acadia's Rett syndrome drug
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The approval comes months after the FDA declined to approve expanded use of Acadia's drug Nuplazid to treat psychosis related to Alzheimer's disease. Acadia said it plans to make the drug available to patients by the end of April. He forecast peak U.S. trofinetide sales of $487.2 million by 2035. After the FDA declined to approve the expanded use of Nuplazid, Acadia said it would not pursue that indication for Nuplazid further. Improvement of symptoms was measured according to the assessment scales Rett Syndrome Behaviour Questionnaire and the Clinical Global Impression of Improvement.

☆ How Can We Measure Droughts and Deluges? Weigh the Planet.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Mira Rojanasakul | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +15 min

Scientists have long cautioned that warming temperatures would lead to wetter and drier global extremes — increasingly severe rainfall, more intense droughts. km3/month Global intensity of wet and dry extremes 30,000 20,000 Wet extremes 10,000 -10,000 Dry extremes -20,000 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 km3/month 30,000 Global intensity of wet and dry extremes 20,000 Wet extremes 10,000 -10,000 Dry extremes -20,000 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 km3/month Global intensity of wet and dry extremes 30,000 20,000 Wet extremes 10,000 -10,000 Dry extremes -20,000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 km3/ month Global intensity of wet and dry extremes 30,000 20,000 Wet extremes 10,000 -10,000 Dry extremes -20,000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 km3/ month Global intensity of wet and dry extremes 30,000 20,000 Wet extremes 10,000 -10,000 Dry extremes -20,000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Source: Rodell and Li, Nature Water (2023), based on analysis of NASA Grace and Grace-FO data. Europe July 2018–April 2021 Drought across Europe returned with the La Niña that lasted through 2022. Central Africa 2. Central Africa 2.

☆ U.S. FDA approves Acadia's genetic Rett syndrome drug
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

March 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc's (ACAD.O) drug for the treatment of Rett syndrome, a genetic brain disorder, the company said on Friday, making it the first approved drug for the condition. The approval comes months after the FDA declined to approve expanded use of Acadia's drug Nuplazid to treat psychosis related to Alzheimer's disease. Acadia said it plans to make the drug available to patients by the end of April. He forecast peak U.S. trofinetide sales of $487.2 million by 2035. Improvement of symptoms was measured according to the assessment scales Rett Syndrome Behaviour Questionnaire and the Clinical Global Impression of Improvement.

The U.S. unemployment rate ticked up to 3.6% in February as more workers entered the labor force, and wage gains slowed to 0.2% from 0.3% in January, the Labor Department's report showed. "This report screams soft landing and looks to be a pretty good one for the Fed," said Omair Sharif of Inflation Insights. After the report, futures tied to the Fed policy rate pointed to a quarter-point rate hike as the most likely outcome of the central bank's meeting this month. Traders also slashed expectations for the Fed to ultimately raise rates any higher than 5.5%. "However, the February CPI report will also weigh heavily in the Fed’s deliberations of whether to raise rates 25bps or 50bps.

Search resuls for: "Scales"

25 mentions found