Founding President at Public Ventures, Zoey Dash McKenzie, has launched a $100 million impact fund to nurture the next generation of life science and climate tech startups emerging from academic research. TechCrunch reports that McKenzie is particularly keen to support Canada-based life science and clean tech startups that focus on improving health equity and supporting climate preparedness for underserved communities. Investing in climate equity According to UN Women, women and girls experience the most significant impacts of climate change, amplifying existing gender inequalities and posing unique threats to their livelihoods,
Several authors, such as Mona Awad, Paul Tremblay, Christopher Golden, Richard Kadrey, and Sarah Silverman, have filed lawsuits against OpenAI for unlawfully “ingesting” their books. The authors claim OpenAI breached copyright law by training ChatGPT on their novels without their permission. How ChatGPT ‘learns.’ ChatGPT, OpenAI’s artificial intelligence chatbot, skyrocketed in popularity following its release late last year. People mainly use it to compose essays, write emails, create creative stories, and get answers to questions about an extensive range of topics concisely and conversationally. Generative AI models like ChatGPT are
New York has become the first city to pass legislation that regulates AI-driven hiring practices. Based on the New York City Local Law 144, also known as the anti-bias law, the new legislation requires all NYC businesses to use AI tools in their hiring processes to prove their selections are free from sexism and racism. Local Law 144 New York employers using AI algorithms in their hiring processes must submit used algorithms for an independent audit while publicizing the results. The companies also have to share an ‘average score’ of candidates
Co-founder and CEO at Heex Technologies, Bruno Mendes Da Silva, has announced that his startup has signed a public contract with US Authorities. We previously wrote about Heex’s smart data management platform helping carmakers sift through the sea of data required to put autonomous vehicles on the road. Now, this new partnership will see the team provide their software solution to process data from Autonomous Vehicles and Mobility operators as part of the Automated Driving System program in California. The data will foster safety standards and rulemaking of autonomous vehicles
The regulation and ethics of AI image generators have been a topic of conversation for several years, with EU lawmakers considering proposals for safeguards to address some of the issues. In March, more than 31,000 people signed an open letter calling for a six-month pause in AI research and development to answer questions about regulation and ethics. Recently, the free-to-use graphic design tool Canva came under fire after DEI Thought Partner Adriele Parker prompted its text-to-image app to generate a Black woman with Bantu knots. An error appeared and told
Co-founder of Flair AI, Mickey Friedman, has announced the company has generated thousands of composable human models in various poses to sell the target company’s beauty products. Friedman said they are helping to “speak to the audience’s diversity and reflect the target market.” Flair AI, founded in New York, is an AI design tool for branded content, allowing users to generate high-end product photography in minutes for CPG (consumer packaged goods) and beauty Brands. Friedman posted that companies can “target different demographics and represent your audience in marketing campaigns,” which had
This week, US east coast cities such as New York were hit with hazardous smog and smoke caused by Canadian wildfires, as the cities dealt with some of the worst air quality seen in recent history. Since Friday, over 400 wildfires have blazed through Canada, with 200 still considered out of control, said the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire. Environmental justice activists have told CNN the air is only exacerbating health risks in vulnerable Black and brown communities. Studies have shown Black, Hispanic and Asian Americans are exposed to more pollution
This article was first published by Rumbi Makanga on Medium. I was asked to give a talk by a London-based company for Black History Month in October 2022. Initially, I was going to title my talk Your Silence Will Not Protect You after the eponymous collection of essays by Audre Lorde and to honour the many silences I have nursed over the years and the vast silences I know countless Black people are forced into in their professional lives. It took a bout of illness in the last days of 2020 to
UK-based engineers Jonathan Nwosu, Min Sang Kim, and Dakshesh Dharmadhikary have teamed up to launch Radiant AI, a new platform that helps lenders track the impact of their sustainable investments. Sustainability-linked loans (SLLs) have revolutionized global lending by linking interest rates to borrowers’ sustainability performance. Real estate financing has been a frontrunner in adopting SLLs, recognizing the value of energy-efficient buildings and contributing to a low-carbon economy. However, the rapid growth of SLLs has also introduced risks like inaccurate reporting and greenwashing. That’s where Radiant AI comes in. Radiant AI
STEMBoard’s joint venture, Exacta Solutions, has been awarded a $947 million contract designed to provide support to National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s total lifecycle acquisition management, strategic financial management and strategic business management activities. Founded by former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, STEMBoard is an award-winning DC-based tech powerhouse specializing in professional advisory services for elite organizations in the US government. “This remarkable achievement is a testament to the innovative spirit, expertise, and dedication of our team at STEMBoard, as well as the outstanding capabilities of our esteemed partners,” Bowe commented on
