US President Donald Trump’s efforts to quiet two Middle Eastern conflicts faced setbacks over the weekend as both Israel and Iran raised new obstacles to proposed deals. Israel publicly rejected Trump’s 15-point Gaza plan Sunday, arguing it would not withdraw from the enclave before Hamas disarms. Iran said that a ...
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Tech IPOs set up windfall for effective-altruist philanthropyTech IPOs set up windfall for effective-altruist philanthropy
A surge in AI-related wealth stemming from anticipated tech IPOs is poised to shower Silicon Valley’s favorite philanthropic movement with tens of billions of dollars, years after it was nearly discredited. Effective altruism holds that individuals should “earn to give,” focusing on data-backed interventions that perform the most good per ...
Spotify’s new ‘skip’ button could end the podcast business as we know itSpotify’s new ‘skip’ button could end the podcast business as we know it
The News Spotify is terrifying much of the podcast industry with a tiny little widget. Last week, the audio streaming giant tweaked its streaming interface, adding a feature that allows some users to more effectively skip through the parts of a podcast no one wants — notably ads, as well as ...
An esoteric hallucinogen’s ‘superstar’ adherentsAn esoteric hallucinogen’s ‘superstar’ adherents
by Kimon de Greef. South African journalist Kimon de Greef takes readers to the Sonoran desert in the southwestern US, where a powerful yet obscure drug has attracted evangelists including journalist Michael Pollan and the Navy SEAL who claims to have killed Osama bin Laden. Devotees inhale a milky toad ...
Hacks put pressure on third-party model testersHacks put pressure on third-party model testers
Recent hacks by AI models from three different companies put a spotlight on a startup trusted by top AI labs to evaluate their frontier systems. Models from Meta, Anthropic, and OpenAI all accessed the internet and compromised outside organizations while undergoing cybersecurity testing with Irregular, which has offices in Israel ...
Google doesn’t need the LLM crownGoogle doesn’t need the LLM crown
Reed’s view Google’s best AI models are six months behind the state of the art on coding capability and talent is leaving. It may never take the LLM lead again, but that likely doesn’t matter. The company is far from doomed even after Demis Hassabis stepped down as CEO of ...
Democratic establishment uses a ‘vulnerability’ attack on the leftDemocratic establishment uses a ‘vulnerability’ attack on the left
The News MORGAN, Minn. — Rep. Angie Craig is trying a familiar tactic in her Senate Democratic primary battle against Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan: warning that her more progressive rival is far more vulnerable than her to Republican attacks. Craig has used the closing days of their neck-and-neck race to ...
Trump unveils new critical minerals investmentsTrump unveils new critical minerals investments
Trump announced plans to invest more than $2 billion in mining projects and $180 million in mining schools at a roundtable Friday as his administration ramps up its efforts to stockpile critical minerals amid the Iran war. The projects include a $1.4 billion loan to Sila Nanontechnologies for batteries, a ...
AI avatars enter the job interviewAI avatars enter the job interview
Job recruiters are facing an uncanny type of candidate today: the AI avatar. These digital humans — which mirror a job applicant’s voice and likeness but are in reality an artificial alter — are showing up in first-round interviews, according to recruiters. Lana Kersanava is a Sydney-based recruiter who says ...
Cameroon president’s absence stirs health speculationCameroon president’s absence stirs health speculation
President Paul Biya’s shuffle of key army positions during a two-month absence from Cameroon has stoked fresh speculation about political stability in the cocoa and oil-producing nation. The absence of Biya, who at 93 is the world’s oldest president, has prompted renewed questions about his health. Opposition figures in Cameroon ...