Google’s latest AI tool, Gemini, designed to create diverse images, has been temporarily stopped after sparking controversy over its depiction of historical figures. AI Tool Gemini Gemini was made to create realistic images based on users’ descriptions in a similar manner to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Like other models, it is trained not to respond to dangerous or hateful prompts and to introduce diversity into its outputs. However, users reported that Gemini, in its attempt to avoid racial bias, often generated images with historically inaccurate representations of gender and ethnicity. For example,
Two brothers, Adrian and Ronnie Wright, have launched the XB app to change how residents can discover and connect with Black-owned businesses in their area. The Journey Of XB The journey began with a Facebook group named “Black Portland,” created by Adrian in 2015. It was seen as a place of reconnection for the Black community in Portland, which faced numerous challenges during the 1980s. These included difficulties in securing mortgages and increasing crime rates in Black neighborhoods. “Displaced residents relocated eastward, while newcomers, often employed by major corporations, gravitated
Helen Huang and Sefunmi Osinaike are redefining inclusivity in the tech industry with Co.Lab, whose hands-on mentorship-based programs are helping Black and underrepresented Canadians get a headstart in tech. Co.Lab Launched three years ago, Co.Lab has already made significant waves in the tech community, breaking barriers and fostering a sense of belonging among minorities. “Our entire motto at Co.Lab is you belong in tech,” Huang told Now Toronto. “When you’re outside the club, everything inside seems so mysterious. All you do is hyper-fixate on the things you don’t feel like you
The estate of Donna Summer, the legendary Queen of Disco, has accused rapper Kanye “Ye” West of copyright infringement amid AI concerns. Allegations Against West This accusation centers around a song from West’s recent collaborative album with Ty Dolla $ign, “Vultures 1.” The estate claims that West sought permission to use Summer’s iconic track “I Feel Love” but was denied. Despite this, the album’s song “Good (Don’t Die)” features lyrics and melodies eerily reminiscent of Summer’s classic. The song includes the lyric, “Oh, I’m alive, I’m alive, I’m alive, oh,” along with
Rise Up Crowdfunding has collaborated with The Coca-Cola Company to transform funding for women and minority-owned companies. Rise Up Crowdfunding, a FINRA and SEC registered funding portal, is on a mission to enable people to invest in diverse-owned small businesses and the future those businesses believe in. The Collaboration With Coca-Cola Company In collaboration with The Coca-Cola Company, the platform is giving women and minority-owned companies the chance to now raise up to $5 million through equity crowdfunding. “Although women and minority-led startups are launching daily, women receive less than
Black-owned AI ed-tech company Skilldora has joined forces with African American billionaire Dr. Michael V. Roberts to offer its platform and AI Instructor-led courses to students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Roberts is the founder of Roberts Innovation Group, which aims to break barriers and pave the way for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities to succeed in the tech industry. Skilldora Skilldora, founded by DeMario and Dawn Nicole McIlwain, is an African-American-owned accredited e-learning provider known for its innovative platform and app. The platform aims to
SheMatters has recently secured a significant $2 million investment to launch its symptom tracker app. Founded by Jade Kearney (CEO) and Marguerite Pierce (COO), SheMatters is a pioneering digital health platform dedicated to improving maternal mortality in minority communities. The Symptom Tracker App The Symptom Tracker app is a new tool designed to empower expecting and new mothers in tracking vital signs and symptoms associated with serious complications. These complications could include preeclampsia, eclampsia, and Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes and Low Platelets (HELLP) syndrome. This technology is especially crucial for
Showmax, a South African company, has surpassed Netflix to become the leading streaming platform in Africa. With a subscriber count of 2.1 million in Africa as of November 2023, surpassing Netflix’s 1.8 million, Showmax’s rise signifies a significant change in the region’s media consumption habits. Showmax Showmax is an online subscription video-on-demand service that launched in South Africa in August 2015. Its majority owner is MultiChoice, which owns 70% of the Showmax group, while NBCUniversal owns 30% in all territories except Nigeria. The platform’s content strategy, which focuses heavily on
Employees globally are voicing a need for more diverse and equitable workplaces despite the recent backlash against DEI initiatives, a survey has found. The How to Talk About Diversity With Employees to Achieve Your Company’s Objectives survey by Catalyst had over 6000 employees across 11 countries reveal their thoughts. A Call For Vocal DEI Efforts The survey revealed that 9 in 10 (93%) employees believe it’s crucial for organizations to be vocal about their DEI efforts. Additionally, 3 in 4 (76%) of the respondents claimed that organizations should actively strive
The 2024 Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl Career Fair is set to open doors of tech opportunities for students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Scheduled for February 22nd and 23rd at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, the event is specifically designed to bridge the gap between graduation and careers for HBCU students. Opening Avenues In Tech And Beyond The HBCU Legacy Bowl Fair is an initiative presented by the New Orleans Saints. The exclusive event is limited to juniors, seniors, and recent graduates (classes of 2022,
