DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ The popularity of ChatGPT is a 'milestone' in establishing Qualcomm as an A.I. company, CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The explosive popularity of ChatGPT is an opportunity to show off the capabilities of artificial intelligence on smartphones, according to chip company Qualcomm 's chief executive. "This is the milestone we've been waiting for to establish Qualcomm as an AI company," Cristiano Amon told CNBC at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Developed by research company OpenAI, chatbot ChatGPT has been shared widely online, as users ask it to answer questions, generate text or provide detailed, responsive information. Qualcomm recently released videos of text being used to generate AI images on an Android phone, which it also demonstrated at the conference. "For you to make that happen, you can't run everything in a data center, you're going to have to bring the AI to the devices."

☆ Merck scraps third prostate cancer study as Keytruda therapy disappoints
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Bhanvi Satija | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The setbacks were likely to put Merck further behind in its quest to develop a treatment for advanced forms of the most common cancer type in the United States. It had in January stopped a late-stage study of the drug in some prostate cancer patients. An interim analysis showed the combination therapy did not extend survival or help extend the time a patient lives without the disease worsening compared to placebo, Merck said. Merck was testing its blockbuster immunotherapy in combination with androgen deprivation therapy and Xtandi, made by Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and Astellas Pharma Inc (4503.T), in patients with an advanced form of treatment-resistant prostate cancer. Additionally, Merck said another combination treatment with Keytruda did not meet the main goal in a separate late-stage study for a type of lung cancer that can spread to other parts of the body.

☆ Target fends off holiday gloom with discounts, warns on 2023 earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Uday Sampath Kumar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The big-box retailer forecast full-year earnings of $7.75 to $8.75 per share, below analysts' estimates of $9.23, according to Refinitiv data. The company's comparable sales in the quarter ended in Jan. 28 rose 0.7%, while analysts had expected a 1.5% fall. Target in November had forecast fourth-quarter comparable sales to fall by about a low single-digit percentage, saying it was a witnessing a "precipitous decline" in discretionary demand. Excluding items, Target earned $1.89 per share in the fourth quarter, beating estimates of $1.40 per share. The company said it expects full-year comparable sales in a wide range from a low-single digit decline to a low-single digit increase.

☆ Mexican president says Tesla will build a new plant in Mexico
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Tesla will build a new plant in Monterrey, Mexico, and adhere to a series of commitments to address water scarcity, the nation's president announced at a press conference Tuesday. He said the company will reveal more information about the new plant during its Investor Day event Wednesday. AMLO said he spoke to Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Friday and Monday. "I want to thank Mr. Elon Musk, who was very respectful and understood the importance of addressing the problem of water scarcity," AMLO said. Tesla's Investor Day will be live-streamed on Twitter and YouTube from Texas Wednesday.

Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has vowed not to allow an increase in the $31.4 trillion legal limit on federal borrowing without an agreement from President Joe Biden's Democrats in Congress to rein in federal spending. Failing to lift the debt ceiling could trigger a default on the federal government's debt that would take a heavy toll on the American and probably world economies. Vought, whose plan also calls for $150 billion in cuts, said Democratic control of the Senate makes limited austerity more politically realistic. Another Budget Committee Republican, Freedom Caucus member Ralph Norman, described in general terms a debt-ceiling playbook, backed by other conservatives, that aligned with Vought's plan. McCarthy spokesman Mark Bednar said federal spending growth was "entirely unsustainable, and House Republicans were elected to bring it to an end."

The iPad Air and iPad Pro are ideal options for users with intensive workloads. A few months later, the company introduced the sixth-generation iPad Pro, which stands as the most powerful and responsive tablet in Apple's current lineup. On top of that, the iPad Pro includes Apple's ProMotion high-refresh-rate display for a silky smooth experience when navigating and working on the tablet. When deciding between the iPad Air or iPad Pro, there are additional details to consider, like Face ID versus Touch ID, storage options, cameras, and USB-C data transfer speed. iPad Air (2022) vs. iPad Pro (2022): Specs compared

☆ Erythritol, an ingredient in stevia, linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —A sugar replacement called erythritol — used to add bulk or sweeten stevia, monkfruit and keto reduced-sugar products — has been linked to blood clotting, stroke, heart attack and death, according to a study. “If your blood level of erythritol was in the top 25% compared to the bottom 25%, there was about a two-fold higher risk for heart attack and stroke,” Hazen said. Clots can break off and travel to the heart, triggering a heart attack, or to the brain, triggering a stroke. “There appears to be a clotting risk from using erythritol,” Freeman said. In all three populations, researchers found that higher levels of erythritol were connected to a greater risk of heart attack, stroke or death within three years.

Persons: ”, Stanley Hazen, ” Hazen, “, erythritol, Andrew Freeman, ” Freeman, Robert Rankin, ” Rankin, Hazen, “ It’s, Erythritol, Hazen’s, Oliver Jones, ” Jones, You’ll, Health’s Freeman Organizations: CNN, Center for Cardiovascular Diagnostics, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, People, Nature, Jewish Health, European Association of Polyol, Cleveland Clinic’s Center, Human, RMIT University, National Health, European Food Safety Authority, Food and Drug Administration Locations: Denver, United States, Europe, erythritol, Australia

☆ Trump loses latest fight with New York Attorney General Letitia James over $110K contempt payment
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The battle was an odd sideshow to AG Letitia James' $250 million fraud lawsuit against Trump Org. A New York appellate court spent just four paragraphs rejecting the former president's 1,000-page appeal of the contempt fine. The contempt fine was Trump's penalty for repeatedly failing to fully comply with James' subpoena for his personal business documents. In January, Engoron rejected what he called Trump's "borderline frivolous" request to dismiss James lawsuit altogether. Also in January, Trump dropped his efforts to challenge James' lawsuit in federal court in Florida.

Since the start of the pandemic, Americans have been able to access free weekly credit reports. "Even when consumers are successful in having their complaint addressed, complaints call into question the underlying data contained in consumers' credit reports," the report read. Navigating the credit reporting system in the United States requires skill and often a good deal of patience. Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters of California, who chaired the panel at the time, said during the hearing that a public credit reporting agency "would be a major upgrade over today's broken, biased credit reporting system." Consumer advocates stress that not only should credit reports be easily accessible but that Americans should be able to scrutinize the information contained in credit reports.

☆ The ChatGPT AI hype cycle is peaking, but even tech skeptics don't expect a bust
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Eric Rosenbaum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +18 min

Even the skeptics of the latest hype cycle recounted during the Town Hall numerous examples of how AI is already embedded in more efficient business processes. The arrival of ChatGPT and generative AI only a few years after the hype cycle over the metaverse has attracted both the AI bulls and bears as tech pursues its next big thing. Another executive who works with lawyers and accountants said the sentiment right now is that AI is not to replace lawyers, but "lawyers using AI are gonna replace lawyers." And what generative AI does, is really help you crunch, take your machine learning to, you know, the 'nth' level of the finite level. That may also place AI in the crosshairs of ESG investors, making sure that the ethics part is part of the mission of companies using it.

☆ The House Ethics Committee may not go after 'loyal soldier' George Santos, ethics experts warn
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The House Ethics Committee could investigate George Santos over his alleged malfeasance. But ethics experts warn that the evenly-divided committee — composed of five Republicans and five Democrats — is unlikely to move swiftly or even take significant action on Santos. That's where the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) — a separate investigative entity run by a non-partisan staff — could step in. And the Department of Justice could simply ask both the Ethics Committee and OCE to stand down, as they've already reportedly done with the Federal Election Commission. The office frequently makes preliminary investigations of complaints against members of Congress, making a referral to the House Ethics Committee if they determine the offense to warrant further inquiry.

[1/4] Former FTX Chief Executive Sam Bankman-Fried, who faces fraud charges over the collapse of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, departs from his court hearing at a federal court in New York City's Manhattan, U.S. January 3, 2023. REUTERS/David Dee Delgado/Feb 8 (Reuters) - Failed crypto firm FTX received court approval on Wednesday to issue subpoenas to its founder Sam Bankman-Fried and members of his family as part of the company's investigation into "misappropriated and stolen" funds. FTX said in court papers filed Wednesday that most of the subpoena targets had begun cooperating with its investigation. FTX said that it is still in discussions with Ellison and that Sam Bankman-Fried "remains non-responsive." Mind the Gap has previously said that Sam Bankman-Fried did not make any direct contributions to the organization but did donate to some of its recommended programs.

Identity theft protection services can protect you against various forms of fraud, such as credit-related fraud or criminal identity theft. With three individual identity theft plans and additional options for families, Identity Guard can offer you the peace of mind that your identity is secured. Identity Guard ReviewIdentity Guard is an identity theft protection service owned by Aura, another credit monitoring and theft protection company that made it to our guide for the best identity theft protection services for the best family plan. Identity Guard Identity Theft PlansIdentity Guard has three plans: Value, Total, and Ultra. Identity Guard Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)Does Identity Guard offer a trial period?

☆ New York police abused demonstrators at George Floyd protest, report finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Tyler Clifford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

More than 600, or 43%, of misconduct allegations were closed after officers could not be identified, raising a big obstacle in the board's review, the report said. The New York Police Department (NYPD) objected to many of the report's findings, saying less than 15% of all allegations were substantiated. Hundreds of officers were injured and the department had already implemented many of the 17 policy changes recommended by the board, NYPD said. Of the 146 officers cited by the report, 89 of them should face internal charges, which can result in termination. The board recommended discipline, which can include the loss of vacation days, for the other 57 officers.

☆ Companies like Amazon, Walmart, and BlackRock that have pushed back against some parts of climate-disclosure rules might see one aspect eased
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Companies and others are pushing back on aspects of the plan, The Wall Street Journal reports. Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest on the culture & business of sustainability — delivered weekly to your inbox. The agency proposed its climate disclosure rules in March 2022 and is aiming to finalize them this year. Some investors have pushed the SEC to issue the rules so they could better assess what climate risks companies face, from extreme weather events and supply-chain disruptions to stricter regulations. Companies that set goals to reduce the carbon footprint of their supply chains would have to disclose those emissions as well.

☆ I drove the new Nissan Z. It's a beautiful, $50,000 retro-modern sports car with a few pesky flaws.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Alanis King | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The 2023 Nissan Z is the start of a new era for Nissan's famous "Z" sports car. The 2023 Nissan Z. Alanis KingThe Z has always been special. The 2023 Nissan Z. NissanBut the Z isn't just pretty — it's usable, especially for a two-door sports car. The 2023 Nissan Z. Alanis KingAll of this would have been fine at a lower cost. The 2023 Nissan Z. Alanis KingI think the Z is the right car for a lot of people.

☆ Many brands are offering terrible UGC rates as new creators flood the market, but veterans say you can still make great money if you pitch yourself correctly
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Seasoned UGC creators expressed frustration and gave advice for others to increase their rates. Bousquet, who has 24,000 Instagram followers, usually charges a minimum of $300 to create a single UGC video for a brand. With this type of collaboration, content creators produce assets for brands in exchange for payment. Chloë Gibbions, director of influencer-marketing agency Ours, said that much like in the early days of influencer marketing, brands are often just unaware. UGC creators Sean Mari Sagun and Salha Aziz started with cheaper rates and focused on building longer-term relationships with brands.

☆ DeSantis' plans for Florida this year include tax cuts for gas stoves and more elections police. The proposals are widely viewed as targeting GOP voters nationally.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Banning vaccine and mask mandatesDeSantis wants the Florida legislature to permanently ban COVID vaccine and mask mandates. It's not clear how much of a difference a new, permanent Florida law would make. DeSantis will ask the Florida legislature to permanently lift the state's 6% sales tax on baby necessities including on cribs, strollers, clothing, shoes, wipes, and diapers. But some analysts, such as Howard Gleckman at the Tax Policy Center, have warned that tax breaks could actually worsen inflation because people will spend and consume more at a time when supplies are limited. Currently, state law requires a vote be unanimous.

☆ Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360: Hands-on and how to preorder
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Mike Andronico | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The Galaxy Book series has consistently impressed us with its range of slim, attractive and versatile designs, so it’s no surprise that Samsung isn’t reinventing the wheel for the Galaxy Book 3 range — though it is bringing a powerful new member to the family. This year’s lineup consists of the Galaxy Book 3 Pro, the convertible Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 and the debuting Galaxy Book 3 Ultra, the latter of which features the highest-end Intel and Nvidia chipsets for serious productivity and immersive PC gaming. Galaxy Book 3 price and preordersAll three Galaxy Book 3 models are available for preorder now, and will ship on Feb. 17. The 16-inch Book 3 Pro 360 starts at $1,900 in the same colors, while the 16-inch Book 3 Ultra will run you at least $2,400 and comes only in Graphite. Slim looks, big power and cross-device functionalityMike Andronico/CNNI spent the majority of my hands-on time with the Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360, a mouthful of a laptop that improves on the Book 2 Pro 360 we really dug last year (seriously, Samsung needs to streamline these names).

☆ Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra hands-on and how to preorder
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Mike Andronico | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The S23 Ultra seems like a conservative upgrade on the surface, cramming a faster processor and some quality-of-life updates into a familiar design. Here’s what we think about the Galaxy S23 Ultra after getting our hands on one for a few hours. Galaxy S23 Ultra price and preordersThe Galaxy S23 Ultra is available for preorder now starting at $1,200 with 256GB of storage and in your choice of Phantom Black, Cream, Green or Lavender, with units set to ship on Feb. 17. Same slick design with a wild new cameraMike Andronico/CNNWe wouldn’t blame you for mistaking the Galaxy S23 Ultra for last year’s model at a quick glance. Just like its predecessor, the S23 Ultra feels great to hold, with flat edges that give it some extra grip over the curvier S23 and S23+.

☆ I built a 655-square-foot tiny home in the backyard of my San Diego rental property and rake in $2,500 a month renting it to a college water-polo team
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

He has an investment property in San Diego and recently built an accessory dwelling unit on the lawn. It's about 15 minutes from the campus of the University of California, San Diego. 7 members of UCSD's women's water-polo team live on the propertyHalf of the University of California, San Diego's water-polo team lives on Chu's property. The state made the right move allowing for ADUs, but it's still hard to get cities like San Diego on boardSan Diego. In San Diego, near UCSD, people want to live there, and density needs to be allowed for it to happen.

☆ Artificial intelligence and machine learning are helping companies provide even better service for customers
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Sponsor Post | Created Hitachi With Insider Studios | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

By harnessing Hitachi's advanced expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), the partners took their existing model and expanded it into a predictive model they called Proactive Diagnostics. The Guided Repair solution is now being used by more than 9,700 Penske fleet maintenance technicians in more than 880 locations. Using machine learning, the Proactive Diagnostics solution monitors fleet vehicles and tracks anomalies that indicate future potential failures." The Proactive Diagnostics solution provides data archived over days and weeks to give Penske that predictive power so it can act on its knowledge. With its enhanced capacity for analysis, Proactive Diagnostics enables Penske to compare fault codes and search for patterns that signal a potential failure.

☆ House Republicans pass bill to limit drawdowns on Strategic Petroleum Reserve
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Christina Wilkie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A maze of crude oil pipe and equipment is seen with the American and Texas flags flying in the background at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in Freeport, Texas. WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Friday aimed at limiting the president's ability to draw down the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve for any reason other than a "severe energy supply disruption." Friday's legislation marked the second time that the GOP-controlled House has passed a bill related to the SPR. Following Friday's passage, the bill's chief sponsor, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, applauded the vote. "President Biden has turned a longtime bipartisan strategic asset, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, into a political tool to cover up the consequences of his expensive rush-to-green agenda," she said in a statement.

☆ Jan. 6 Committee failed to hold social media companies to account for their role in the Capitol attack, staffers and witnesses say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Donie O'Sullivan Audrey Ash Zachary Cohen | Donie O'Sullivan | Audrey Ash | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But now these witnesses, along with some committee staff, are frustrated, saying the committee failed to adequately hold major social media companies to account for the role they played in the worst attack on the Capitol in 200 years. They also said the final report outlines structural issues across social media and society that need to be studied further. Jeremy Moorhead/CNNDisagreement about social media companies’ role in the Jan. 6 attack comes as 2023 looks to be a pivotal year for Silicon Valley firms in Washington, DC. “Indeed, the lack of an official Committee report chapter or appendix dedicated exclusively to these matters does not mean our investigation exonerated social media companies for their failure to confront violent rhetoric,” they wrote. “History has taught us what happens when political speech on social media companies is allowed to fester unchecked.”

WASHINGTON — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., is angling to be Donald Trump's running mate in 2024, according to two people who have spoken to the firebrand second-term congresswoman about her ambitions. "She sees herself on the short list for Trump's VP. A second source who has advised Greene said her "whole vision is to be vice president." The source, who has ties to Trump but spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations, said he also believes Greene would be on Trump's short list. McCarthy stood by Greene at the time, facilitating the development of a political alliance.

Search resuls for: "Responsive"

25 mentions found