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☆ AI like ChatGPT amplifies 'darkest aspects of human nature,' Pinterest CEO warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Pinterest CEO Bill Ready warned that emerging AI tech could accelerate the negative impact of social media on mental health. During an interview with "Good Morning America," the CEO said that AI amplifies the "darkest aspects of human nature." The Pinterest CEO made the comments during a recent interview with "Good Morning America." "Interestingly, the discussion has been that this is just human nature — the social media platforms are just reflecting human nature — but in reality AI has been amplifying the darkest aspects of human nature," he said. Ready is far from the first executive to sound the alarm on emerging AI technology.

☆ Chris Christie says it was a 'big mistake' for the GOP to 'rise to the bait' and heckle Biden during the State of the Union address
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Christie called it a "big mistake" for the GOP to heckle Biden at the State of the Union. Christie said that by booing Biden, Republicans were falling for the president's "bait." A better response from the GOP, Christie said, would have been to laugh and move on. Chris Christie said it was a mistake for Republicans to heckle President Joe Biden during his State of the Union address. And they did, a number of them did, and it was a big mistake," Christie told ABC's George Stephanopoulos on Sunday.

☆ Debt talks can include everything but cuts to Social Security and Medicare, Republicans say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Katharine Jackson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Republicans say they would not cut Social Security and Medicare programs but "everything else is on the table" in talks over raising U.S. government borrowing limits, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer said on Sunday. But at the end of the day, those programs are going to be off the table with respect to cuts, but everything else is on the table," Comer said in an interview on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." But as that deadline looms, Republican lawmakers and President Joe Biden are locked in a disagreement over the path to raising the borrowing limit. Biden says he would not negotiate over raising it, while Republicans say they would not agree to raise it without spending concessions. Reporting by Katharine Jackson; Editing by Chizu NomiyamaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Banning TikTok in the US 'should be looked at,' says Chuck Schumer
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —A proposal to ban TikTok in the United States “should be looked at,” according to US Senator Chuck Schumer. “We do know there’s Chinese ownership of the company that owns TikTok. TikTok is owned by ByteDance, one of the most valuable private companies in China. US officials have raised concerns that China could use its laws to pressure TikTok or ByteDance to hand over US user data that could be used for intelligence or disinformation purposes. Those worries have prompted the US government to ban TikTok from official devices, and more than half of US states have taken similar measures, according to a CNN analysis.

SANTA FE, N.M. — Prosecutors said Thursday they knew “pretty close to the beginning” of their probe into the fatal shooting of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins that criminal charges would be filed. Prosecutors announced Thursday that Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed will each face two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Baldwin was criminally responsible as both the alleged shooter and the “Rust” producer who should have had oversight on safety, officials said. Alec Baldwin practicing a scene with a revolver on the set of the Western "Rust" before cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot. Prosecutors declined to say if they offered Baldwin a chance to plead guilty in exchange for his testimony.

Oscar-nominated actor Alec Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico set of the Western movie “Rust,” prosecutors said Thursday. "Rust" first assistant director, David Halls, has agreed to plead guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon, according to Carmack-Altwies' office. Baldwin was rehearsing with a pistol for a scene set inside a church when the gun went off, killing Hutchins and wounding the director, Joel Souza. Jae C. Hong / AP fileIn early October, Hutchins’ husband reached a settlement in his wrongful death lawsuit against the producers of “Rust,” including Baldwin. Souza is expected to return as the director when filming picks back up this month.

☆ GOP Rep. Scott Perry, subject of Jan. 6 probes, declines to recuse himself from looking into those investigations
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Summer-Concepcion-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Summer Concepcion | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., pushed back Sunday when asked whether he would recuse himself from any House GOP investigation of federal probes into the events surrounding the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, despite being a subject of those investigations. Everybody in America is innocent until proven guilty,” Perry said in an interview on ABC's "This Week" with host George Stephanopoulos. Perry was pressed on whether any potential involvement in a new committee would pose a conflict of interest given that he was among those being investigated. “So, should everybody in Congress that disagrees with somebody be barred from doing the oversight and investigative powers that Congress has? Perry also came under scrutiny by the Jan. 6 committee, which referred him and three other House Republicans, including McCarthy, to the House Ethics Committee for defying the panel's subpoenas.

☆ Expert on White House chiefs of staff says Mark Meadows 'absolutely owns' the title of 'worst' chief in history after ex-aide's damning testimony
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The historian Chris Whipple said Mark Meadows was the worst White House chief of staff in history. The author Chris Whipple, who has interviewed dozens of White House chiefs of staff, said that Cassidy Hutchinson's shocking testimony before the House January 6 committee has made it abundantly clear that Mark Meadows is by far the "worst" White House chief of staff in history. On December 19, the panel released an executive summary of its findings that was harshly critical of Meadows' book "The Chief's Chief." Whipple wrote the literal book on White House chiefs of staffABC's George Stephanopoulos interviews the author Chris Whipple in 2017. "I've said oftentimes that being White House chief of staff is perhaps the second most powerful job in Washington, D.C.

☆ US lawmakers want answers on FTX's collapse. Sam Bankman-Fried may not have them.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But first, we are going to hear more from Sam Bankman-Fried this week, even if you think we've already heard quite enough from him. Sam Bankman-Fried testifies during a hearing before the House Financial Services Committee on December 8, 2021 in Washington, DC. Disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who said he once considered himself a "model CEO," tweeted last week that he would testify before tomorrow's House Financial Services committee hearing focused on his firm's blowup. FTX's new CEO, John J. Ray III, who oversaw the bankruptcy of Enron, will testify in the first part of the hearing. A private lunch with the billionaire is on the table if you're willing to pony up the cash.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried says he'll take the hot seat and testify before lawmakers probing FTX
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Sam Bankman-Fried tweeted that he would testify to a House committee this month. The House financial services committee is inquiring into his failed crypto lending company FTX. Committee chair Rep. Maxine Waters emphasized the stunning scope of 'over a million' FTX creditors. The onetime billionaire and former CEO of the crypto lending giant Tweeted on Friday morning that he would testify before the House Financial Services committee at a hearing scheduled for Dec. 13 on his company's failure. Bankman-Fried tweeted that he would address FTX's customers and how it could "return value" to its international base, and suggested more mea culpas could be forthcoming.

☆ GOP congressman skirts question about supporting Trump as the party's 2024 pick after the ex-president promoted suspending US Constitution: 'I'll support whoever the Republican nominee is'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Taylor Ardrey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

GOP Rep. Dave Joyce refused to answer whether he'd support Trump after his recent comments. On Saturday, Trump called for the termination of the US Constitution. "I will support whoever the Republican nominee is," Joyce told ABC News on Sunday. Stephanopoulos told Joyce that his response was "a remarkable statement" and asked again if he would "support a candidate who's come out for suspending the Constitution?" On his social media platform on Saturday, Trump called for the termination of the Constitution, making the unfounded claim that there has been "massive fraud" from tech giants and the Democratic Party in US elections.

☆ Hakeem Jeffries dismisses Mitch McConnell calling him an 'election denier' over his criticism of Trump: 'That didn't seem to make a lot of sense to me'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. Jeffries dismissed Sen. McConnell calling him an "election denier" over his criticism of Trump. Last week, McConnell remarked that Jeffries "baselessly said the 2016 election was 'illegitimate.'" "He'll do what he does, and I want to stay focused on fighting for the people," Jeffries told CNN. "For example, the newly-elected incoming leader of the House Democrats is a past election denier who baselessly said the 2016 election was 'illegitimate' and suggested that we had a 'fake' president. I supported the certification of Donald Trump's election," he continued to say.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried said it's 'not who I am' to shun the press. But legal experts say his recent interviews could come back to haunt him.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

In new media appearances, Sam Bankman-Fried openly mused about his culpability in FTX's crash. Bankman-Fried told Sorkin at one point that "I didn't knowingly commingle funds," between FTX and his other company, the hedge fund Alameda Research. "Like, I wasn't spending any time or effort trying to manage risk on FTX," he told the "Good Morning America" anchor. Greg Joseph and Stanford Law professor David Mills, who Semafor reported last month represent Bankman-Fried, didn't respond to Insider's email for comment Thursday evening. Representatives for FTX did not respond to a request for comment, and Bankman-Fried did not respond to a Twitter DM seeking comment.

☆ Blackstone's grand ambitions for attracting retail money faces a hiccup
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

It's also a key part of the firm's push to attract retail investors, Insider's Rebecca Ungarino reports. Bloomberg previously reported that both firm CEO Steve Schwarzman and President Jon Gray have each put $100 million of their own money into BREIT since July. But as nice as it is to have the bosses' money backing your fund, that's not the target audience. And while there is a lot of upside to attracting retail investors — its private wealth arm has quadrupled in size to $233 billion in assets in four years — there are risks, too. Click here to read more about the recent headwinds facing Blackstone's big bet to attract retail money.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried ‘Wasn’t Even Trying’ to Manage Risk at FTX, He Says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Richard Vanderford | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

“I wasn’t even trying, like, I wasn’t spending any time or effort trying to manage risk on FTX,” Mr. Bankman-Fried said in an interview with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News that was broadcast Thursday on “Good Morning America.”“I don’t know what to say,” he said. A lawyer for Mr. Bankman-Fried didn’t respond to a request for comment. Risk issues weren’t seen as a “core business driver” at FTX, Mr. Bankman-Fried said in Thursday’s interview, adding that he did a “pretty incomplete job” at oversight. Mr. Stephanopoulos questioned Mr. Bankman-Fried about speculation that he might ultimately spend time in prison in connection with the problems at FTX and Alameda. Mr. Bankman-Fried said that a lot of things worry him right now, but that he would let regulatory and legal processes play out.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried says he ‘got a little cocky’ before FTX collapsed
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN Business —Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of now-bankrupt FTX, has fallen from the peak of crypto celebrity, but he’s not going quietly. “I think I got a little cocky — I mean, more than a little bit,” he told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos in an interview on Good Morning America. Bankman-Fried, echoing comments he also made to The New York Times on Wednesday, denied knowing of any improper transfers of customer funds between the exchange and Alameda. “I don’t think that’s who I am at all, but I understand why they’re saying that,” Bankman-Fried told Stephanopoulos. In that interview, Bankman-Fried said he “didn’t ever try to commit fraud on anyone,” while admitting he made mistakes as chief executive.

☆ A journalist who interviewed Sam Bankman-Fried about FTX's collapse said it 'felt like a therapy session' for the crypto mogul
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Good Morning America journalist said interviewing ex-FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried "felt like a therapy session." "There are a lot of things that are worrying me right now," Bankman-Fried said in response to one question. Stephanopoulos interviewed Bankman-Fried for around two hours on Monday for Good Morning America. "At some level, it felt like a therapy session," Stephanopoulos said. It seemed like Bankman-Fried "felt that it was really important for him to get his story out," he said.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried said that if he'd spent 'an hour a day' thinking about risk management FTX might not have collapsed
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sam Bankman-Fried said FTX might not have collapsed if he'd spent "an hour a day" assessing risks. "I wasn't spending any time or effort trying to manage risk on FTX," the crypto mogul told ABC News. "There is something maybe even deeply wrong there, which was I wasn't even trying," the crypto mogul said. "Like, I wasn't spending any time or effort trying to manage risk on FTX and that that was obviously a mistake." "If I had been spending an hour a day thinking about risk management on FTX, I don't think that would have happened," he added.

☆ Nancy Pelosi says she won't decide whether she'll seek reelection as the House Speaker until the midterm election is over
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Nancy Pelosi said she won't comment on seeking reelection as House Speaker until the midterms conclude. Pelosi said leadership decisions will depend on her family, which is still recovering from the attack on Paul Pelosi. On "This Week" on ABC News, host George Stephanopoulos asked Pelosi directly if she would run again for speaker should Democrats maintain control. "The fact is, any decision to run is about family and also my colleagues," Pelosi said. The House Speaker added that the "speaker has awesome power, but I will always have influence."

☆ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Biden should run for reelection in 2024: 'He has accomplished so much'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said President Joe Biden should run for reelection in 2024. "He has just done so many things that are so great," Pelosi said. While Biden has maintained it is his intention to run for reelection in 2024, he has not yet made an official determination. Pelosi said that Biden would have a lot of successes to point to in a 2024 campaign. He has been a great president and he has a great record to run on," she added.

☆ Putin declared martial law in occupied Ukraine, but it changes little and highlights his desperation, experts and officials say
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Putin's declaration of martial law in occupied Ukrainian territories is being decried as a symbolic, desperate move. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said the martial law decree is "largely legal theater." Biden said that the Russian leader's martial law decree seems to be designed to intimidate Ukrainians into capitulating. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told "Good Morning America" anchor George Stephanopoulos that Putin's martial law declaration "speaks to his desperation." But Putin's decree seems unlikely to lead to drastic changes or a significant shift from the conditions and practices already seen in these occupied areas.

☆ January 6 panel member doesn't rule out holding Trump in contempt if he doesn't comply with its subpoena
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Jan. 6 committee member Rep. Adam Kinzinger discussed its subpoena to ex-President Donald Trump. He didn't rule out seeking to hold Trump in criminal contempt if he dodges the subpoena. The Jan. 6 panel claims Trump was at the center of a plot to overturn the 2020 election. Trump in response to the subpoena last week reportedly told aides he'd be willing to testify, as long as it was on live TV. But there are complications, with many analysts expecting Trump to launch a legal challenge to the subpoena.

☆ Kinzinger says it's on voters to prevent another insurrection: 'The torch has been passed—yes to DOJ—but also to the American people.'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( Sarah Al-Arshani | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Rep. Adam Kinzinger said it's now up to the American people to stop another insurrection. In an interview with ABC, 'This Week' Kinzinger added that Trump is required by law to testify. "The torch has been passed—yes to DOJ—but also to the American people," Kinzinger told ABC 'This Week' host George Stephanopoulos on Sunday. Kinzinger, one of just two Republican lawmakers on the committee, said the panel is gathering facts and putting forth recommendations. During the same interview, Kinzinger emphasized that former President Donald Trump is required by law to testify after the committee subpoenaed him last week.

☆ 'Jeopardy!' champ Amy Schneider shares photos of her wedding
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

champion Amy Schneider on Tuesday tweeted photos of her wedding, calling it one of the best days of the last year "by far." Schneider said that a year ago, she was in Los Angeles ahead of her first "Jeopardy!" "The year since has been full of good days, but by far the best one was May 9th, when Genevieve and I got married," Schneider tweeted, alongside photos from her wedding day. "Without her, none of the other good days would have happened. The photos from Schneider's wedding follow her announcement earlier this year that she and Genevieve Davis were engaged.

☆ Trump lashed out at George Stephanopoulos in profanity-laced tirade after 2016 interview, new book says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN Busniess —Donald Trump berated ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, descending into a profanity-laced tirade after the journalist asked him in a 2016 interview about Russia, according to a forthcoming book set for release next week. Haberman’s book is set to be released on Tuesday, but CNN obtained an excerpt detailing the incident between Stephanopoulos and Trump. The ABC News producer, John Santucci, asked what specific part of the interview Trump was referring to. Trump, Haberman wrote, mentioned Russia and Stephanopoulos chuckled and said, “I know, my team says I didn’t ask you enough about it.”That set Trump off. Eighteen f–king follow-ups—how many different ways do I have to say I don’t know the guy?” Trump said, according to Haberman.

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