The Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy has launched a $100 million fund to remove the financial barriers that often stall clean energy projects in Native American communities. The Indigenous Power & Light Fund for Energy Sovereignty is supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and other philanthropic organizations. Tackling Energy Inequities Many Native American communities still lack access to electricity. A 2022 report from the Department of Energy revealed that nearly 17,000 tribal homes remain unelectrified. On the Navajo Nation, the
Visa has announced investments in four African fintech startups that recently graduated from its Africa Fintech Accelerator program. While Visa did not disclose specific investment amounts, the initiative reflects its ongoing efforts to drive financial inclusion and support digital innovation in Africa. Supporting Fintech Innovation Across Africa The four startups—Oze, Workpay, OkHi, and ORDA—each offer digital solutions tailored to address key financial and logistical challenges in African markets. By backing these companies, Visa is betting on a diverse range of technologies to enhance access to financial services for small businesses,
Kenya’s Communications Authority (CA) has directed telecom operators to suspend access to Telegram during specific hours, aiming to prevent students from sharing answers during national exams. The move follows Kenya’s ongoing efforts to curb exam-related misconduct using encrypted messaging platforms, with CA pointing to Telegram’s lack of full cooperation in its regulatory requests. Why Is Telegram Targeted? Telegram, which has over a billion users worldwide, has become a tool for communication in Kenya, thanks to its encryption and ability to host large chat groups. However, the CA argues that this
Research Grid, an AI-driven company dedicated to automating clinical trial administration, has raised $6.5 million in seed funding to streamline trial workflows and reduce costly delays. The funding round, led by Fuel Ventures and including backers like Ada Ventures, Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Lab, and Arāya Ventures, will help Research Grid expand its engineering, R&D, and marketing efforts, with a focus on US and Asian markets. This investment supports Research Grid’s mission to cut down on the labor-intensive administrative tasks that can hinder the speed and success of medical research.
TECNO, a leader in smartphone technology, has launched the #ToneProud campaign to combat skin tone bias in AI-driven imaging systems. This initiative aims to promote inclusivity in imaging technology by ensuring accurate representation of diverse skin tones, especially in emerging markets often overlooked by larger tech players. 268 Skin Tones Database: A Technological Milestone for Inclusive Imaging The foundation of TECNO’s #ToneProud campaign is its new 268 skin tone database, a collection developed to improve how AI-driven imaging systems capture various skin tones. By assigning specific color codes to skin
Vesti, an AI-powered neobank specializing in services for immigrants, has announced plans to preorder 100 Tesla Robotaxis, following Tesla’s recent reveal of the vehicle’s design. The goal is to provide accessible transportation options tailored to immigrant needs in major cities worldwide. Accessible Transport Solutions for Immigrant Communities With cities becoming more crowded and public transport systems under strain, Vesti’s Robotaxis aim to simplify local travel for immigrants navigating new environments. Vesti plans to deploy these autonomous vehicles in cities like New York, Toronto, and London, where immigrant communities face unique
Google has added 15 African languages to its Voice Search, Gboard’s talk-to-type, and Translate dictation, bringing online access to around 300 million more Africans. The newly supported languages include Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Nigerian Pidgin, Chichewa, Kikuyu, Oromo, Rundi, Shona, Somali, Tigrinya, and Twi, allowing more people to interact with Google services in their native languages. More Languages on Voice and Gboard With this update, Google Voice Search and Gboard talk-to-type now support 12 more African languages, raising the total to 25. Google Translate has also added voice input for 13
Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer and multifaceted creative force whose career spanned over seven decades, passed away on November 3, at the age of 91 in his Bel Air home. A Pioneering Force in Music Known for producing Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad, Jones’ work transcended genres and generations. Collaborating with icons like Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and Ella Fitzgerald, he earned 28 Grammys and a record-breaking 79 nominations. “Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy
A deepfake video portraying Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. endorsing former president Donald Trump has drawn widespread criticism, particularly from King’s daughter, Bernice King. Posted on Sunday night by the pro-Trump X account “MAGA Resource,” the AI-generated video falsely shows King urging Black Americans to support Trump, claiming he did “more for the Black community than any other president.” By late Monday, the controversial clip had gained over 10 million views, sparking outrage. Bernice King Denounces Deepfake as “Vile” Bernice King took to X on Monday, condemning the video as
AI-driven hiring tools overwhelmingly prefer resumes with names associated with white men, a new University of Washington (UW) study has found. Resumes with white male names were selected 85% of the time, while those with female-associated names were chosen only 11% of the time. By contrast, resumes with names associated with Black men fared the worst, with models passing them over in favor of other groups in nearly 100% of cases. Biases in AI Resume Screening AI-powered tools are becoming staples in the hiring process. For example, large language model
