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
Black-owned VC firm Cornerstone V.C, which boasts a diversity-led investment thesis, has hired its first female partner Ella Wales Bonner. Bonner will spearhead the development of Cornerstone’s in-house coaching practice to support the leadership potential of its portfolio companies. Who Are Cornerstone V.C.? Born out of a Black-led angel group, Cornerstone Partners, Cornerstone V.C. firm was founded by Rodney Appiah, Edwin Appiah, and Wilfred Fianko. The early-stage venture capital firm invests in innovative B2B technology solutions in the U.K., launching its first £20 million ($23.9 million) fund last year. Cornerstone V.C. invests in many more
“AI… Meets… AI: An Exciting Tale of Connection and Adventure” is the #1 New Release in Children’s Computer Hardware and Robotics Books on Amazon following its publication last month. The enchanting children’s book features Addy, a curious and imaginative young Black girl, and Jaz, a learning AI, exploring the bustling city of Baltimore together. Author Amber Ivey, also known as “AI,” told POCIT that she created these characters to pave the way for a future where technology education is inclusive and every child feels empowered to shape the digital world,
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) went into effect this week and should help Black pregnant or postpartum workers get the accommodations they need to stay healthy and working. What is PWFA? PWFA explicitly gives pregnant and postpartum workers the right to temporary accommodations at work to keep them in their jobs during and after pregnancy. After being in the works for over ten years, the law has finally been passed, allowing millions of pregnant women to ask for what they need to help them in their position. A Bipartisan Policy Center poll last
The media industry has lost Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) leaders over the last two weeks with layoffs and resignations at Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Who Has Gone? After more than six years, Disney’s chief diversity officer Latondra Newton was the first to exit her role. She oversaw the company’s “commitment to producing entertainment that reflects a global audience and sustains a welcoming and inclusive workplace for everyone.” Disney said she was leaving to pursue “other endeavors.” Netflix’s first-ever head of
National Crown Day has been extended this year to a two-week celebration commemorating the initial signing of the Crown Act in 2019. The celebrations began on June 12 and will finish on July 3 with the official National CROWN Day celebration in New Orleans as it marks the fourth Crown Day anniversary. Black women have faced hair discrimination in the workplace for a long time since the 2023 CROWN Workplace Research study found that Black women’s hair is 2.5 times more likely to be perceived as unprofessional. What is National CROWN Day? CROWN stands
Wage bias has long affected marginalized groups, including women and people of color. Recent data from Hired shows a widening wage gap, except for white and Asian women, with Black women earning the least of any demographic group. Salary transparency laws and practices aim to close the race and gender pay gap by removing biases. But can they really undo centuries of inequity? Salary expectations and negotiations As well as systemic issues of discrimination and prejudice, the expectation gap contributes to the wage gap. The expectation gap is the difference in salary
The United States is the most dangerous and expensive high-income country for childbirth, especially for Black and Indigenous women. Drawing on her own pregnancy experiences, Emagine Solutions Technology co-founder and CEO Courtney Williams has developed The Journey Pregnancy app. This data-driven tool couples the power of technology with a human touch to ensure a safer and more informed pregnancy journey. Addressing Disparities in Maternal Healthcare Black women face a nine times higher risk of maternal death compared to their white counterparts, and it is not because of differences in wealth.
Fearless Fund has announced it has received multi-million dollar follow-on investments from Bank of America, Costco, and Mastercard. Investing In WOC Founded in 2019 by Arian Simone, Keshia Knight Pulliam, and Ayana Parsons, Fearless Fund invests in pre-seed, seed level, and series A women of color founders building scalable and growth-aggressive companies. Their portfolio includes Bitsy’s, the clean food and beverage brand co-founded by Gabrielle Union, Melissa Butler’s cruelty-free beauty brand The Lip Bar, Pinky Cole’s Slutty Vegan, and Sevetri Wilson’s Resilia. Read: Resilia Closes $35M Series B, Largest Raise Ever For A
The Fifteen Percent Pledge was launched three years ago by creative director, activist and fashion designer Aurora James to urge major retailers and corporations to commit 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses. Since then, more than 625 Black-owned businesses have developed business relationships with 29 companies across three countries that have taken the pledge such as Ulta, Sephora, Vogue, Macy’s and Old Navy. According to Forbes, the Pledge’s work with its partners has created the potential to shift $14 billion to Black entrepreneurs and businesses. Now, to mark
