Federal prosecutors say all three supporters worked together to spray-paint a racist slur aimed at Black people on a campaign sign for Mobolade on April 23, 2023, during the city's mayoral runoff election campaign

Leading artificial intelligence companies including OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic are facing "diminishing returns" from their costly efforts to build newer AI models, according to a new Bloomberg report. The stumbling blocks appear to be growing in size as Apple continues a phased rollout of its own AI features through Apple Intelligence.


OpenAI's latest model, known internally as Orion, has reportedly fallen short of the company's performance expectations, particularly in handling coding tasks. The model is said to be lacking the significant improvements over existing systems when compared to the gains GPT-4 made versus its predecessor.

Google is also reportedly facing similar obstacles with its upcoming Gemini software, while Anthropic has delayed the release of its anticipated Claude 3.5 Opus model. Industry experts who spoke to Bloomberg attributed the challenges to the increasing difficulty in finding "new, untapped sources of high-quality, human-made training data" and the enormous costs associated with developing and operating new models concurrently with existing ones.

Silicon Valley's belief that more computing power, data, and larger models will inevitably lead to better performance, and ultimately the holy grail – artificial general intelligence (AGI) – could be based on false assumptions, suggests the report. Consequently, companies are now exploring alternative approaches, including further post-training (incorporating human feedback to improve responses and refining the tone) and developing AI tools called agents that can perform targeted tasks, such as booking flights or sending emails on a user's behalf.

"The AGI bubble is bursting a little bit," said Margaret Mitchell, chief ethics scientist at AI startup Hugging Face. She told Bloomberg that "different training approaches" may be needed to make AI models work really well on a variety of tasks. Other experts who spoke to the outlet echoed Mitchell's sentiment.

How much impact these challenges will have on Apple's approach is unclear, though Apple Intelligence is more focused in comparison, and the company uses internal large language models (LLMs) grounded in privacy. Apple's AI services mainly operate on-device, while the company's Private Cloud Compute encrypted servers are only pinged for tasks requiring more advanced processing power.

Apple is integrating AI capabilities into existing products and services, including writing tools, Siri improvements, and image generation features, so it can't be said to be competing directly in the LLM space. However, Apple has agreed a partnership with OpenAI that allows Siri to optionally hand off more open-ended queries to ChatGPT. Apple has also reportedly held discussions with other LLM companies about similar outsourcing partnerships.

It's possible that the challenges faced by major AI companies pursuing breakthrough general-purpose AI models could ultimately validate Apple's more conservative strategy of developing specific AI features that enhance the user experience. In that sense, its privacy-first policy may not be the straitjacket it first seemed. Apple plans to expand Apple Intelligence features next month with the release of iOS 18.2 and then via further updates through 2025.

DC Compact Comics line has been a huge hit and all 15 more titles are coming in the format in 2025.

MicroStrategy Inc. (NASDAQ:MSTR) director Leslie J. Rechan has executed a significant sale of company shares, amounting to approximately $12 million, as per a recent SEC filing. The transactions were disclosed on Wednesday. Don't Miss: Over the last five years, the price of gold has increased by…

Online conversations about Ozempic and similar medications are full of misinformation — and echo decades of flawed teachings on weight management.

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A moose wandered into a company's garage in Sweden and trampled all over three BMW cars, causing about $20,000 worth of damage before fleeing.

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Third-party organizations are spending money to take aim at city spending, waste and ‘wokeism.’ We take a closer look at why.

A source says over 1 300 customers have been lured away using data allegedly harvested by a franchise employee.

Nompumelo Nene is facing disciplinary proceedings and has launched several applications in an attempt to stop them.

1. Piyush Goyal urges companies to cut prices to boost consumption  Moneycontrol
2. Piyush Goyal demands a rate cut, RBI Governor's speech follows — all the action at Global Leadership Summit  CNBCTV18
3. RBI should definitely cut interest rates, says Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal  The Economic Times
4. 'India's Average Inflation Lowest Under Modi Govt Since 1947; RBI Should Cut Rates': Piyush Goyal  News18
5. RBI governor Shaktikanta Das' response after Piyush Goyal calls for rate cut  Moneycontrol

[GroundUp] Nompumelo Nene is facing disciplinary proceedings and has launched several applications in an attempt to stop them

brussels — As China and Peru prepare to sign an updated free-trade agreement at this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to inaugurate a Chinese-financed mega port in Peru, known as Chancay, while attending the APEC meetings. China promotes the Chancay port on Latin America's Pacific coast as a key hub to boost trade connectivity with South America. The plan includes using infrastructure projects to link Chancay, reducing shipping times for goods. A senior U.S. official downplayed the port’s implications for the United States, stating that it does not complicate U.S. relationships in the region and that it is natural for Latin American countries to have diverse trade and investment partnerships beyond the U.S. Matt Murray, the U.S. senior official for APEC, spoke to VOA on Wednesday from Lima, Peru, outlining the U.S. agenda for this year’s APEC meetings. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. VOA: Could you unpack for us the agenda of APEC 2024? Matt Murray, U.S. senior official for APEC: APEC, as you know, is a multilateral forum with 21 member economies that account for half of global trade and 60% of global GDP. Each year, APEC is hosted by a different member economy. The United States was delighted to host in 2023, and this year, the forum has moved to Peru for 2024. APEC always focuses on three key areas: trade and investment, innovation and digitalization, and sustainable, strong, secure, inclusive and balanced growth. Peru has continued these priorities by bringing APEC economies together to discuss these issues and make progress on specific initiatives, including a renewed focus on sustainability. This year, during the energy ministerial meeting in August, Peru launched the Just Energy Transition Initiative within APEC. They have also supported new programming, focused on curbing food loss and waste in the region, which is crucial for the sustainability of our agricultural sectors. VOA: Chinese President Xi Jinping will sign an updated free-trade agreement with Peru and inaugurate a new mega port north of Lima, called Chancay. Can you talk about the implications for the United States? Murray: I think we expect countries, including APEC economies like Peru, to engage in trade and investment relationships with a variety of partners, including the People’s Republic of China. As President Xi arrives in Lima, attention will be given to areas where China has invested in Peru, as well as the trade and investment ties between the two countries. However, from the U.S. perspective, our primary focus is on our own relationship with Peru and with Latin America, particularly in terms of trade, investment and broader engagement. I don’t necessarily see this as complicating our relationship in the region. We view it as a natural part of business that Latin American countries will have diverse trade and investment partners. VOA: Given President-elect Donald Trump's stance on tariffs and the potential withdrawal from the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, and with several IPEF members also part of APEC, how might the U.S. reassure global leaders about its commitment to deepening economic ties with other nations? Murray: Since 1989, both Democratic and Republican U.S. administrations have engaged with APEC. We view it as an opportunity to engage a wide range of partners in a consensus-based, nonbinding way. One of the key ways we reassure leaders is simply by showing up. This week, we’re showing up in a big way. The best way to demonstrate our commitment to deepening economic ties with the region is by having the president, secretary of state and U.S. trade representative all come to Lima to participate in APEC Economic Leaders Week. That, I think, demonstrates leadership and our willingness to continue engaging. VOA: What does the future look like for APEP, or Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity, an economic initiative for Latin America, and IPEF? Murray: I don't think I can speculate on the future of these particular arrangements. As you know, this is part of our democracy. We have administrations in power that transition to new ones, which may make different or sometimes similar decisions. There are, in fact, areas where we've seen continuity from the Obama administration to the Trump administration and then to the Biden administration, and there may continue to be such continuity. So, I don’t think it's possible to speculate on any one particular issue.

The EPA on Tuesday announced a final rule to charge oil and gas companies for emissions, but opponents say it could face obstacles under the incoming GOP administration.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce empathized with Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb about fighting the sun glare at AT&T Stadium.

After back-to-back hurricanes triggered millions of power outages in Florida, power companies are trying to make the grid more resilient while also elastic enough to handle all the solar power flowing into the system.

The training company is in discussions with a major computer manufacturing company to bring 10,000 employees onto the platform.

A Durham company progressing toward its first utility-scale clean power plant says the Trump agenda actually fits its business model.

In addition to the skyrocketing prices of hotel rooms, inflated Uber rates and hysteria around her presence, Taylor Swift hugely affects the sports ecosystem around her. Whether or not skeptics want to admit it, her connection to sport creates a cultural impact that can not be denied.

Bariatric surgery is still the gold standard for morbid obesity treatment, yet patients and medical professionals will likely seek less invasive weight loss drugs before considering bariatric surgery. 

The post The Rapid Growth of GLP-1s and Their Impact on Bariatric Surgery appeared first on MedCity News.

On November 12, a new poster for the film was revealed, accompanied by a caption that read, "Official entry: India. Best International Feature Film - 97th Academy Awards."

1. Where Will the COP29 Money Come From? | Company Business News  Mint
2. 10 Most Climate-Vulnerable Countries Got Less Than $1 Year Climate Finance: Report  NDTV
3. Raise $1tr annually for developing nations to deliver on Paris pact goals: Report  Hindustan Times
4. Countries Are Pledging Money They Don’t Control at COP29  Bloomberg
5. COP29 Is About Money. Where Is It Going To Come From  OilPrice.com

1. Sri Lanka Leader Seeks to Bolster Power With Parliamentary Vote | Company Business News  Mint
2. Sri Lanka Heads For Snap Elections Today, Results Likely On Friday  NDTV
3. Sri Lanka votes today: President Dissanayake faces litmus test as NPP aims for majority control | All you need to know  Mint
4. Sri Lanka to hold key parliamentary vote on November 14  The Hindu
5. Snap Sri Lankan election poses test for new leader  BBC.com

Nobody cares what you want unless you speak up to tell them. That's how Tracy Panase became CEO of Just Between Friends.

Pehart Grup, una dintre cele mai mari companii producătoare de hârtie tissue din Sud-Estul Europei, celebrează tradițiile românești prin cea de-a doua ediție a campaniei naționale Pufina Tradiții Românești. După ce anul trecut, de 1 Decembrie, producătorul a dat startul campaniei naționale Pufina Tradiții Românești, anul acesta, la debutul lui noiembrie a lansat cea de-a ...

The post Pehart Grup promovează evenimentele cu tradiție de la noi din țară printr-o campanie națională appeared first on Forbes Romania.

There are 70 Swedish companies in Tamil Nadu, employing about 25,000 people. But we want to do more, says Jan Thesleff

IAB makes decision to allow reservoir gate repairs and aqueduct construction works; water to affected lands to be supplied from the Eastern Godavari Delta, Pithapuram Branch Canal and Yeleru Reservoir instead

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Expanding the network of LPG distribution points in rural areas and extending financial support for refills could further increase clean fuel adoption

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Half the respondents said that they either hadn’t seen any gains or the returns had fallen short of their expectations in augmenting, assisting, or automating current processes or operation

R. G. Chandramogan, chairman of Hatsun Agro Product, hails from Chennai and was a college dropout who began by selling ice cream from pushcarts.

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Strong developer experience directly influences project success and drives innovation, helping organizations thrive in a competitive landscape.

Mottram, C M; Kellett, D A; Barresi, T; Zwingmann, H; Friend, M; Todd, A; Percival, J B. Geology vol. 48, no. 12, 2020 p. 1179-1183, https://doi.org/10.1130/G47778.1
<a href="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20200143.jpg"><img src="https://geoscan.nrcan.gc.ca/images/geoscan/20200143.jpg" title="Geology vol. 48, no. 12, 2020 p. 1179-1183, https://doi.org/10.1130/G47778.1" height="150" border="1" /></a>

Naber, T V; Grasby, S E; Cuthbertson, J P; Rayner, N; Tegner, C. Geological Society of America Bulletin 2020 p. 1-17, https://doi.org/10.1130/B35792.1