SheerLuxe, a renowned UK lifestyle and fashion magazine, recently introduced Reem Bot, a woman of color AI-powered fashion and lifestyle editor, causing backlash. Presented as a new team member, Reem is designed to provide recommendations on fashion, beauty, travel, and more. However, the announcement was met with significant backlash, particularly regarding the ethical implications and the portrayal of Reem as a person of color. Public Reaction and Concerns The introduction of Reem Bot sparked controversy among SheerLuxe’s audience, which includes nearly half a million Instagram followers. “We’re thrilled to introduce
Biases in current voice technologies for non-white users has the potential to cause lower self esteem, psychological and physical harm researchers have found. In a new study published in the Proceedings of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, HCII Ph.D. student Kimi Wenzel and Associate Professor Geoff Kaufamn identified six downstream harms caused by voice assistant errors. The pair also devised strategies to reduce them in their work which won a Best Paper award at the Association for Computing Machinery’s Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.
Mexican fintech company OCN, which offers car rental models for gig workers in Mexico and the US, has successfully raised $86 million in equity and debt. The Series A funding round was led by Brazil’s Caravela Capital, with additional contributions from Collide Capital and Great North Ventures on the equity side, and New York-based i80 Group leading the debt portion. Innovative Solutions For Gig Workers Launched in 2022, OCN provides gig workers with new car rentals on a weekly fee basis, inclusive of maintenance and insurance. Users also have the
NASA has made history by transmitting the lyrics of Missy Elliott’s iconic song, “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly),” to Venus. This event marks the first time a hip-hop song has been beamed into space. A Hip-Hop Song In Space On July 12 at 10:05 a.m. PDT, the lyrics were sent from NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) Goldstone complex in California. The DSN, known for its large and sensitive array of radio antennas, facilitates deep-space communication, supporting missions from the Moon to far-reaching planets. The transmission traveled approximately 158 million miles (254
The Black AI Consortium has officially launched, aiming to encourage dialogue and advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) with Black scholars at the forefront. The consortium, established in May, seeks to provide a network for individuals across the African diaspora interested in AI, encouraging the sharing of ideas and insights while addressing current industry concerns. A Network for AI Enthusiasts Across the African Diaspora The mission of the Black AI Consortium, as reported by Black News, is to “cultivate a vibrant and supportive community where individuals of the African diaspora can
NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will honor Black mathematician Dorothy Vaughan and the women of Apollo with events on the eve of the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. The highlight will be the renaming and ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 19 to dedicate Building 12 as the “Dorothy Vaughan Center in Honor of the Women of Apollo.” The Legacy Of Dorothy Vaughan Vaughan, a pioneering mathematician, human computer, and NASA’s first Black manager, will be remembered for her groundbreaking work and leadership. She headed the National Advisory
The Mall of America is facing backlash following the implementation of its new facial recognition technology. The use of the technology has raised privacy concerns among lawmakers, civil liberties advocates, and the general public. Concerns Over Privacy and Misuse Minnesota State Senators Eric Lucero (Republican) and Omar Fateh (Democrat) have united in urging the Mall of America to halt its facial recognition operations. “Public policy concerns surrounding privacy rights and facial recognition technologies have yet to be resolved, including the high risks of abuse, data breaches, identity theft, liability and
Caliza has secured $8.5 million funding. Founded in 2021 by Ezra Kebrab, the Brazil-based startup transforms cross-border transactions in Latin America through the use of crypto stablecoins. The company recently secured funding led by Initialized Capital, enabling them to expand their innovative payment solutions that leverage Circle’s USDC (USD Coin), according to TechCrunch. “Caliza is building global financial infrastructure that removes borders from commerce,” Kebrab wrote on LinkedIn. “I’m excited to unveil the latest including our recent $8.5M round.” Bringing Speed and Stability to Cross-Border Payments Unlike traditional transfers made
South Africa’s leading digital bank, TymeBank, has successfully raised $77.8 million in a pre-Series C funding round. The round was co-led by African growth-stage investor Norrsken22 and global impact investment firm Blue Earth Capital. This increase of capital brings TymeBank’s total raised funds to over $260 million, marking a milestone in the bank’s growth and expansion plans. Existing investor Tencent, which spearheaded TymeBank’s $180 million Series B round in December 2021, also participated in this round, further increasing its stake to become the third-largest shareholder. Strategic Investments and Growth Launched
Minka, a Colombian cloud-based fintech startup, has embarked on an expansion plan to bring its innovative financial solutions to Africa. This move aims to replicate its success in Latin America by addressing the continent’s financial inclusion challenges and leveraging the growing digital payments market. Launching in Eastern and Southern Africa On July 2, 2024, Minka officially launched its operations in East Africa, marking its first expansion phase. The fintech company began its journey in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia and plans to expand to Southern African markets such as Mozambique,
