Microsoft Corp. and G42, a leading artificial intelligence firm from the United Arab Emirates, have unveiled plans to build a $1 billion geothermal-powered data center in Kenya. This project marks the initial phase of a multiyear strategy to boost cloud-computing capacity in East Africa. Harnessing Geothermal Energy for Sustainable Development The data center will be constructed in Olkaria, an area rich in geothermal resources, making it an ideal location for a sustainable energy project. G42 will lead the initial investment and oversee the facility’s construction. In its first phase, it
There is an alarming rise in disinformation in the media for Black Americans as the elections approach, according to a recent survey. Survey Highlights Disparities In Media Consumption And Misinformation A public opinion poll commissioned by Free Press BSP Research and the African American Research Collaborative surveyed 3,000 people in the US. The findings reveal that Black and Latino Americans are more likely to access news on platforms like Facebook and YouTube compared to their white and Asian American counterparts. This group is also more engaged with social media content,
University of South Carolina Gamecocks player Raven Johnson has secured a name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal with Black beauty tech company Parfait. Parfait, powered by AI and facial recognition technology, aims to provide custom wig products that address two major issues: AI biases in tech and the fragmented wig-buying process for millions of Black and brown women. Founded by four women, the company has developed an algorithm to change tech interactions with communities of color. Leading New Standards For Female Athletes According to Andscape, Isoken Igbinedion, co-founder and CEO
Uncle Nearest is the fastest-growing American whiskey brand in history, driving a business worth $1.1 billion, according to Forbes and ISWR data. Uncle Nearest Black woman-owned distillery Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey was launched in 2016 by Fawn Weaver and quickly ascended to global recognition. The company’s rise is a tribute to Nearest Green, the first-known African American master distiller who taught Jack Daniel the secrets of distilling. Expanding its presence to over 30,000 stores, bars, hotels, and restaurants across 12 countries, the business also has a 432-acre distillery in Shelbyville,
Latina-led fintech platform Hello Alice has announced the dismissal of lawsuit brought against it by America First Legal, which alleged its grants for Black business amounted to racial discrimination. What Happened? In October 2023, Hello Alice found itself at the center of a legal battle when America First Legal, Mitchell Law PLLC, and Ashbrook Byrne Kresge LLC filed a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination. This was due to the company’s initiative, which, in partnership with Progressive Insurance, provided $25,000 in grants to 10 Black-owned businesses. However, Hello Alice maintained its stance
Félix Pago, a fast-growing fintech startup, has recently raised $15.5 million in a Series A funding round to enhance its services across Latin America and the US, according to TechCrunch. Revolutionizing Remittances With WhatsApp Félix Pago’s approach leverages WhatsApp as its main interface, with a chatbot that makes it simple to send and receive cross-border money transfers, even with a voice message. This choice is strategic, given WhatsApp’s extensive regional user base. Users in the US initiate transactions via the WhatsApp chatbot, completing the final step by securely entering debit
Meta recently announced the formation of an AI advisory council, made up entirely of white men, sparking backlash amid the discourse around diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. The Composition And Role Of The AI Council This AI advisory council is distinct from Meta’s board of directors and its Oversight Board, which have more diverse gender and racial representation. Unlike these bodies, the AI council was not elected by shareholders and held no fiduciary duty. Meta told Bloomberg that the council would provide “insights and recommendations on technological advancements,
A Virginia tech firm has agreed to pay more than $38,000 in penalties for posting a job advertisement that only sought white, US-born applicants. “Only Born US Citizens [White]” IT services firm Arthur Grand Technologies was scrutinized for a job advertisement requesting only white candidates apply. The company posted a job advertisement for a Business Analyst on Indeed. However, the now-deleted ad included a note stating: “Only Born US Citizens [White] who are local within 60 miles from Dallas, TX [Don’t share with candidates]. The client was listed as IT
NBA legend Dwyane Wade is leveraging his influence through an online community dedicated to transgender youth and their families. On Thursday, Wade received the Elevate Prize Catalyst Award at The Elevate Prize Foundation’s Make Good Famous Summit in South Florida, which comes with $250,000 in unrestricted funding. Wade received the award in recognition of his advocacy for the transgender community and his work with the Wade Family Foundation. Following his acceptance of the award, Wade announced the launch of Translatable. Translatable: A Safe Space For Transgender Youth Translatable, funded by
OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot shows racial bias when advising home buyers and renters, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) research has found. Today’s housing policies are shaped by a long history of discrimination from the government, banks, and private citizens. This history has created racial disparities in credit scores, access to mortgages and rentals, eviction rates, and persistent segregation in US cities. If widely used for housing recommendations, AI models that demonstrate racial bias could potentially worsen residential segregation in these cities. Racially biased housing advice Researcher Eric Liu from MIT examined
