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Python Foundation Rejects Government Grant Over DEI Restrictions
The Python Software Foundation rejected a $1.5 million U.S. government grant because it required them to renounce all diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. "The non-profit would've used the funding to help prevent supply chain attacks; create a new automated, proactive review process for new PyPI packages; and make the project's work easily transferable to other open-source package managers," reports The Register. From the report: The programming non-profit's deputy executive director Loren Crary said in a blog post today that the National Science Founation (NSF) had offered $1.5 million to address structural vulnerabilities in Python and the Python Package Index (PyPI), but the Foundation quickly became dispirited with the terms (PDF) of the grant it would have to follow. "These terms included affirming the statement that we 'do not, and will not during the term of this financial assistance award, operate any programs that advance or promote DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion], or discriminatory equity ideology in violation of Federal anti-discrimination laws,'" Crary noted. "This restriction would apply not only to the security work directly funded by the grant, but to any and all activity of the PSF as a whole." To make matters worse, the terms included a provision that if the PSF was found to have voilated that anti-DEI diktat, the NSF reserved the right to claw back any previously disbursed funds, Crary explained. "This would create a situation where money we'd already spent could be taken back, which would be an enormous, open-ended financial risk," the PSF director added. The PSF's mission statement enshrines a commitment to supporting and growing "a diverse and international community of Python programmers," and the Foundation ultimately decided it wasn't willing to compromise on that position, even for what would have been a solid financial boost for the organization. "The PSF is a relatively small organization, operating with an annual budget of around $5 million per year, with a staff of just 14," Crary added, noting that the $1.5 million would have been the largest grant the Foundation had ever received - but it wasn't worth it if the conditions were undermining the PSF's mission. The PSF board voted unanimously to withdraw its grant application.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

about
https://developers.slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/211237/python-foundation-rejects-government-grant-over-dei-restrictions?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
dc
creator
BeauHD
date
2025-10-28T22:50:00+00:00
subject
python
slash
department
values-over-funding
section
developers
comments
1
hit_parade
1,1,0,0,0,0,0
summary
The Python Software Foundation rejected a $1.5 million U.S. government grant because it required them to renounce all diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. "The non-profit would've used the funding to help prevent supply chain attacks; create a new automated, proactive review process for new PyPI packages; and make the project's work easily transferable to other open-source package managers," reports The Register. From the report: The programming non-profit's deputy executive director Loren Crary said in a blog post today that the National Science Founation (NSF) had offered $1.5 million to address structural vulnerabilities in Python and the Python Package Index (PyPI), but the Foundation quickly became dispirited with the terms (PDF) of the grant it would have to follow. "These terms included affirming the statement that we 'do not, and will not during the term of this financial assistance award, operate any programs that advance or promote DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion], or discriminatory equity ideology in violation of Federal anti-discrimination laws,'" Crary noted. "This restriction would apply not only to the security work directly funded by the grant, but to any and all activity of the PSF as a whole." To make matters worse, the terms included a provision that if the PSF was found to have voilated that anti-DEI diktat, the NSF reserved the right to claw back any previously disbursed funds, Crary explained. "This would create a situation where money we'd already spent could be taken back, which would be an enormous, open-ended financial risk," the PSF director added. The PSF's mission statement enshrines a commitment to supporting and growing "a diverse and international community of Python programmers," and the Foundation ultimately decided it wasn't willing to compromise on that position, even for what would have been a solid financial boost for the organization. "The PSF is a relatively small organization, operating with an annual budget of around $5 million per year, with a staff of just 14," Crary added, noting that the $1.5 million would have been the largest grant the Foundation had ever received - but it wasn't worth it if the conditions were undermining the PSF's mission. The PSF board voted unanimously to withdraw its grant application.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

AI News Anchor Debuts On UK's Channel 4
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Variety: A news special on Britain's Channel 4 titled "Will AI Take My Job?" investigated how automation is reshaping the workplace and pitting humans against machines. At the end of the hour-long program, a major twist was revealed: the anchor, who narrates and appears throughout the telecast reporting from different locations, was entirely AI-generated. In the final moments of the special, the host says: "AI is going to touch everybody's lives in the next few years. And for some, it will take their jobs. Call center workers? Customer service agents? Maybe even TV presenters like me. Because I'm not real. In a British TV first, I'm an AI presenter. Some of you might have guessed: I don't exist, I wasn't on location reporting this story. My image and voice were generated using AI." The hour aired Monday at 8 p.m. as part of the "Dispatches" documentary program, which Channel 4 says is now the first British television show to feature an AI presenter. The "anchor" was produced by AI fashion brand Seraphinne Vallora for Kalel Productions and was guided by prompts to create a realistic on-camera performance. "The use of an AI presenter is not something we will be making a habit of at Channel 4 -- instead our focus in news and current affairs is on premium, fact checked, duly impartial and trusted journalism -- something AI is not capable of doing," said Louisa Compton, Channel 4's head of news and current affairs. "But this stunt does serve as a useful reminder of just how disruptive AI has the potential to be -- and how easy it is to hoodwink audiences with content they have no way of verifying."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

about
https://news.slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/2055230/ai-news-anchor-debuts-on-uks-channel-4?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
dc
creator
BeauHD
date
2025-10-28T22:10:00+00:00
subject
ai
slash
department
PSA
section
news
comments
5
hit_parade
5,5,5,5,1,1,0
summary
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Variety: A news special on Britain's Channel 4 titled "Will AI Take My Job?" investigated how automation is reshaping the workplace and pitting humans against machines. At the end of the hour-long program, a major twist was revealed: the anchor, who narrates and appears throughout the telecast reporting from different locations, was entirely AI-generated. In the final moments of the special, the host says: "AI is going to touch everybody's lives in the next few years. And for some, it will take their jobs. Call center workers? Customer service agents? Maybe even TV presenters like me. Because I'm not real. In a British TV first, I'm an AI presenter. Some of you might have guessed: I don't exist, I wasn't on location reporting this story. My image and voice were generated using AI." The hour aired Monday at 8 p.m. as part of the "Dispatches" documentary program, which Channel 4 says is now the first British television show to feature an AI presenter. The "anchor" was produced by AI fashion brand Seraphinne Vallora for Kalel Productions and was guided by prompts to create a realistic on-camera performance. "The use of an AI presenter is not something we will be making a habit of at Channel 4 -- instead our focus in news and current affairs is on premium, fact checked, duly impartial and trusted journalism -- something AI is not capable of doing," said Louisa Compton, Channel 4's head of news and current affairs. "But this stunt does serve as a useful reminder of just how disruptive AI has the potential to be -- and how easy it is to hoodwink audiences with content they have no way of verifying."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

UK Cyclist Receives 3D-Printed Facial Prosthetic After Crash Left Him With Third-Degree Burns
A cyclist who received severe third-degree burns to his head after being struck by a drunk driver has been fitted with a printed 3D face. The Guardian: Dave Richards, 75, was given a 3D prosthetic by the NHS that fits the space on his face and mimics his hair colour, eye colour and skin. [...] While recovering, he was referred to reconstructive prosthetics, which has opened the Bristol 3D medical centre, the first of its kind in the UK to have 3D scanning, design and printing in a single NHS location. Richards, from Devon, said surgeons tried to save his eye but "they were worried any infection could spread from my eye down the optic nerve to the brain so the eye was removed." [...] He called the process of getting a 3D-printed face "not the most pleasant." He added: "In the early days of my recovery, I felt very vulnerable, and would not expose myself to social situations. It took me a long time to feel comfortable about my image, how I thought people looked at me and what they thought of me -- but I have come a long way in that respect."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

about
https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/2020253/uk-cyclist-receives-3d-printed-facial-prosthetic-after-crash-left-him-with-third-degree-burns?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
dc
creator
msmash
date
2025-10-28T21:30:00+00:00
subject
science
slash
department
second-skin
section
science
comments
1
hit_parade
1,1,1,1,0,0,0
summary
A cyclist who received severe third-degree burns to his head after being struck by a drunk driver has been fitted with a printed 3D face. The Guardian: Dave Richards, 75, was given a 3D prosthetic by the NHS that fits the space on his face and mimics his hair colour, eye colour and skin. [...] While recovering, he was referred to reconstructive prosthetics, which has opened the Bristol 3D medical centre, the first of its kind in the UK to have 3D scanning, design and printing in a single NHS location. Richards, from Devon, said surgeons tried to save his eye but "they were worried any infection could spread from my eye down the optic nerve to the brain so the eye was removed." [...] He called the process of getting a 3D-printed face "not the most pleasant." He added: "In the early days of my recovery, I felt very vulnerable, and would not expose myself to social situations. It took me a long time to feel comfortable about my image, how I thought people looked at me and what they thought of me -- but I have come a long way in that respect."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Nearly 90% of Windows Games Now Run on Linux, Latest Data Shows
Nearly nine in ten Windows games can now run on Linux systems, according to data from ProtonDB compiled by Boiling Steam. The gains came through work by developers of WINE and Proton translation layers and through interest in hardware like the Steam Deck. ProtonDB tracks games across five categories. Platinum-rated games run perfectly without adjustment. Gold titles need minor tweaks. Silver games are playable but imperfect. Bronze exists between silver and borked. Borked games refuse to launch. The proportion of new releases earning platinum ratings has grown. The red and dark red zones have thinned. Some popular titles remain incompatible, however. Boiling Steam noted that other developers appear averse to non-Windows gamers.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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https://linux.slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/206219/nearly-90-of-windows-games-now-run-on-linux-latest-data-shows?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
dc
creator
msmash
date
2025-10-28T20:50:00+00:00
subject
linux
slash
department
year-of-linux-desktop
section
linux
comments
28
hit_parade
28,24,21,18,8,7,2
summary
Nearly nine in ten Windows games can now run on Linux systems, according to data from ProtonDB compiled by Boiling Steam. The gains came through work by developers of WINE and Proton translation layers and through interest in hardware like the Steam Deck. ProtonDB tracks games across five categories. Platinum-rated games run perfectly without adjustment. Gold titles need minor tweaks. Silver games are playable but imperfect. Bronze exists between silver and borked. Borked games refuse to launch. The proportion of new releases earning platinum ratings has grown. The red and dark red zones have thinned. Some popular titles remain incompatible, however. Boiling Steam noted that other developers appear averse to non-Windows gamers.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Humanity Has Missed 1.5C Climate Target, Says UN Head
Humanity has failed to limit global heating to 1.5C and must change course immediately, the secretary general of the UN has warned. From a report: In his only interview before next month's Cop30 climate summit, Antonio Guterres acknowledged it is now "inevitable" that humanity will overshoot the target in the Paris climate agreement, with "devastating consequences" for the world. He urged the leaders who will gather in the Brazilian rainforest city of Belem to realise that the longer they delay cutting emissions, the greater the danger of passing catastrophic "tipping points" in the Amazon, the Arctic and the oceans. "Let's recognise our failure," he told the Guardian and Amazon-based news organisation Sumauma. "The truth is that we have failed to avoid an overshooting above 1.5C in the next few years. And that going above 1.5C has devastating consequences. Some of these devastating consequences are tipping points, be it in the Amazon, be it in Greenland, or western Antarctica or the coral reefs. He said the priority at Cop30 was to shift direction: "It is absolutely indispensable to change course in order to make sure that the overshoot is as short as possible and as low in intensity as possible to avoid tipping points like the Amazon. We don't want to see the Amazon as a savannah. But that is a real risk if we don't change course and if we don't make a dramatic decrease of emissions as soon as possible."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

about
https://news.slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/1951245/humanity-has-missed-15c-climate-target-says-un-head?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
dc
creator
msmash
date
2025-10-28T20:10:00+00:00
subject
earth
slash
department
mission-failed
section
news
comments
38
hit_parade
38,36,33,22,4,2,1
summary
Humanity has failed to limit global heating to 1.5C and must change course immediately, the secretary general of the UN has warned. From a report: In his only interview before next month's Cop30 climate summit, Antonio Guterres acknowledged it is now "inevitable" that humanity will overshoot the target in the Paris climate agreement, with "devastating consequences" for the world. He urged the leaders who will gather in the Brazilian rainforest city of Belem to realise that the longer they delay cutting emissions, the greater the danger of passing catastrophic "tipping points" in the Amazon, the Arctic and the oceans. "Let's recognise our failure," he told the Guardian and Amazon-based news organisation Sumauma. "The truth is that we have failed to avoid an overshooting above 1.5C in the next few years. And that going above 1.5C has devastating consequences. Some of these devastating consequences are tipping points, be it in the Amazon, be it in Greenland, or western Antarctica or the coral reefs. He said the priority at Cop30 was to shift direction: "It is absolutely indispensable to change course in order to make sure that the overshoot is as short as possible and as low in intensity as possible to avoid tipping points like the Amazon. We don't want to see the Amazon as a savannah. But that is a real risk if we don't change course and if we don't make a dramatic decrease of emissions as soon as possible."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

'How Delivery Is Destroying American Restaurants'
Nearly three out of every four restaurant orders are no longer eaten in a restaurant, according to the National Restaurant Association. The share of customers using delivery more than doubled from 2019 to 2024, and 41% of respondents in a recent poll said delivery was an essential part of their lifestyle. The transformation has fundamentally altered restaurant economics. Delivery companies charge restaurants commissions between 5 and 30%, along with fees for payment processing, advertising, and search placement. Shannon Orr runs an eight-restaurant group on the West Coast. One of her restaurants generated $1.7 million in delivery sales last year. Of that, $400,000 went to delivery companies. The restaurant, previously among her most profitable, made no money in 2024, she told the Atlantic. About a third of full-service restaurants have modified their physical spaces to accommodate the delivery boom, installing dedicated entrances, bike parking, and banks of lockers.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

about
https://slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/192256/how-delivery-is-destroying-american-restaurants?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
dc
creator
msmash
date
2025-10-28T19:30:00+00:00
subject
business
slash
department
ghost-kitchens-and-real-costs
section
slashdot
comments
114
hit_parade
114,113,102,89,22,8,3
summary
Nearly three out of every four restaurant orders are no longer eaten in a restaurant, according to the National Restaurant Association. The share of customers using delivery more than doubled from 2019 to 2024, and 41% of respondents in a recent poll said delivery was an essential part of their lifestyle. The transformation has fundamentally altered restaurant economics. Delivery companies charge restaurants commissions between 5 and 30%, along with fees for payment processing, advertising, and search placement. Shannon Orr runs an eight-restaurant group on the West Coast. One of her restaurants generated $1.7 million in delivery sales last year. Of that, $400,000 went to delivery companies. The restaurant, previously among her most profitable, made no money in 2024, she told the Atlantic. About a third of full-service restaurants have modified their physical spaces to accommodate the delivery boom, installing dedicated entrances, bike parking, and banks of lockers.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

OpenAI Wants To Get To $1 Trillion a Year in Infrastructure Spend, Sam Altman Says
OpenAI has committed to spend about $1.4 trillion on infrastructure so far, equating to roughly 30 gigawatts of data center capacity, CEO Sam Altman said on Tuesday. From a report: The statement helps clarify the many announcements the company has made with its chip, data center and financing partners. That total includes the already announced deals with AMD, Broadcom, Nvidia, Oracle and other partners. That's just the starting point, Altman said. Over time, the company would like to have in place a technical and financial apparatus that would allow it to build a gigawatt of new capacity per week at a cost of around $20 billion per gigawatt.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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https://slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/1848223/openai-wants-to-get-to-1-trillion-a-year-in-infrastructure-spend-sam-altman-says?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
dc
creator
msmash
date
2025-10-28T18:48:00+00:00
subject
ai
slash
department
all-the-money-in-the-world
section
slashdot
comments
40
hit_parade
40,40,35,30,10,4,3
summary
OpenAI has committed to spend about $1.4 trillion on infrastructure so far, equating to roughly 30 gigawatts of data center capacity, CEO Sam Altman said on Tuesday. From a report: The statement helps clarify the many announcements the company has made with its chip, data center and financing partners. That total includes the already announced deals with AMD, Broadcom, Nvidia, Oracle and other partners. That's just the starting point, Altman said. Over time, the company would like to have in place a technical and financial apparatus that would allow it to build a gigawatt of new capacity per week at a cost of around $20 billion per gigawatt.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Jensen Huang Introduces NVQLink To Bridge Quantum and Classical Computing
Jensen Huang unveiled NVQLink at Nvidia's Washington conference on Tuesday. The interconnect links quantum processors to the AI supercomputers they require to function effectively. Nvidia is not building its own quantum computers but is positioning itself as critical infrastructure for the technology's future. Quantum processors harness principles of quantum physics to solve problems classical computers cannot address, but they need classical supercomputers to perform calculations beyond their capability and to correct the errors that naturally occur in their outputs. Tim Costa, Nvidia's general manager of industrial engineering and quantum, said AI will be necessary for full-scale error correction. Earlier attempts to integrate quantum processors with AI supercomputers failed to deliver the speed and scale needed for fast error correction at scale. Nvidia developed NVQLink with more than a dozen quantum companies including IonQ, Quantinuum and Infleqtion and worked with national labs including Sandia, Oak Ridge and Fermi. The interconnect operates on open architecture and works across different quantum modalities including trapped ion, superconducting and photonic systems. Costa declined to predict when quantum computing will produce meaningful commercial value, though some quantum companies estimate two to four years.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

about
https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/1819200/jensen-huang-introduces-nvqlink-to-bridge-quantum-and-classical-computing?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
dc
creator
msmash
date
2025-10-28T18:18:00+00:00
subject
technology
slash
department
bridging-the-gap
section
technology
comments
9
hit_parade
9,9,6,6,3,0,0
summary
Jensen Huang unveiled NVQLink at Nvidia's Washington conference on Tuesday. The interconnect links quantum processors to the AI supercomputers they require to function effectively. Nvidia is not building its own quantum computers but is positioning itself as critical infrastructure for the technology's future. Quantum processors harness principles of quantum physics to solve problems classical computers cannot address, but they need classical supercomputers to perform calculations beyond their capability and to correct the errors that naturally occur in their outputs. Tim Costa, Nvidia's general manager of industrial engineering and quantum, said AI will be necessary for full-scale error correction. Earlier attempts to integrate quantum processors with AI supercomputers failed to deliver the speed and scale needed for fast error correction at scale. Nvidia developed NVQLink with more than a dozen quantum companies including IonQ, Quantinuum and Infleqtion and worked with national labs including Sandia, Oak Ridge and Fermi. The interconnect operates on open architecture and works across different quantum modalities including trapped ion, superconducting and photonic systems. Costa declined to predict when quantum computing will produce meaningful commercial value, though some quantum companies estimate two to four years.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

China Dives in on the World's First Wind-Powered Undersea Data Center
China has completed the first phase of what it claims is the world's first underwater data center in Shanghai's Lingang Special Area. The facility cost roughly 1.6 billion yuan ($226 million) and operates on twenty-four megawatts of power drawn entirely from wind energy. Seawater acts as a natural cooling system for the submerged servers. Traditional land-based data centers devote up to 50% of their energy consumption to air conditioning. The underwater design reduces cooling energy demand to less than 10%. The first phase is designed to achieve a power usage effectiveness rating of no more than 1.15. More than 95% of the facility's electricity comes from offshore wind turbines in the East China Sea. The project reduces land usage by more than 90% and eliminates the need for fresh water. The main contractors signed an agreement to launch another offshore wind-powered underwater data center with a capacity of 500 megawatts.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/1736211/china-dives-in-on-the-worlds-first-wind-powered-undersea-data-center?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
dc
creator
msmash
date
2025-10-28T17:36:00+00:00
subject
technology
slash
department
keeping-your-cool
section
technology
comments
18
hit_parade
18,18,17,16,4,3,1
summary
China has completed the first phase of what it claims is the world's first underwater data center in Shanghai's Lingang Special Area. The facility cost roughly 1.6 billion yuan ($226 million) and operates on twenty-four megawatts of power drawn entirely from wind energy. Seawater acts as a natural cooling system for the submerged servers. Traditional land-based data centers devote up to 50% of their energy consumption to air conditioning. The underwater design reduces cooling energy demand to less than 10%. The first phase is designed to achieve a power usage effectiveness rating of no more than 1.15. More than 95% of the facility's electricity comes from offshore wind turbines in the East China Sea. The project reduces land usage by more than 90% and eliminates the need for fresh water. The main contractors signed an agreement to launch another offshore wind-powered underwater data center with a capacity of 500 megawatts.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Signal Chief Explains Why the Encrypted Messenger Relies on AWS
An anonymous reader shares a report: After last week's major AWS outage took Signal along with it, Elon Musk was quick to criticize the encrypted messaging app's reliance on big tech. But Signal president Meredith Whittaker argues that the company didn't have any other choice but to use AWS or another major cloud provider. "The problem here is not that Signal 'chose' to run on AWS," Whittaker writes in a series of posts on Bluesky. "The problem is the concentration of power in the infrastructure space that means there isn't really another choice: the entire stack, practically speaking, is owned by 3-4 players." In the thread, Whittaker says the number of people who didn't realize Signal uses AWS is "concerning," as it indicates they aren't aware of just how concentrated the cloud infrastructure industry is. "The question isn't 'why does Signal use AWS?'" Whittaker writes. "It's to look at the infrastructural requirements of any global, real-time, mass comms platform and ask how it is that we got to a place where there's no realistic alternative to AWS and the other hyperscalers."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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https://it.slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/1648213/signal-chief-explains-why-the-encrypted-messenger-relies-on-aws?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
dc
creator
msmash
date
2025-10-28T16:44:00+00:00
subject
encryption
slash
department
closer-look
section
it
comments
44
hit_parade
44,43,40,39,16,7,3
summary
An anonymous reader shares a report: After last week's major AWS outage took Signal along with it, Elon Musk was quick to criticize the encrypted messaging app's reliance on big tech. But Signal president Meredith Whittaker argues that the company didn't have any other choice but to use AWS or another major cloud provider. "The problem here is not that Signal 'chose' to run on AWS," Whittaker writes in a series of posts on Bluesky. "The problem is the concentration of power in the infrastructure space that means there isn't really another choice: the entire stack, practically speaking, is owned by 3-4 players." In the thread, Whittaker says the number of people who didn't realize Signal uses AWS is "concerning," as it indicates they aren't aware of just how concentrated the cloud infrastructure industry is. "The question isn't 'why does Signal use AWS?'" Whittaker writes. "It's to look at the infrastructural requirements of any global, real-time, mass comms platform and ask how it is that we got to a place where there's no realistic alternative to AWS and the other hyperscalers."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Chegg Slashes 45% of Workforce, Blames 'New Realities of AI'
Chegg says it will lay off about 45% of its workforce, or 388 employees, as the "new realities" of artificial intelligence and diminished traffic from internet search have led to plummeting revenue. From a report: The online education company, founded 20 years ago, has been hit by the rise of generative AI software tools, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, which have become increasingly popular among students. Chegg also sued Google in February, arguing that AI summaries of search results have hurt its traffic and sales. The company reiterated that claim on Monday, saying AI and "reduced traffic from Google to content publishers" have damaged its business. "As a result, and reflecting the company's continued investment in AI, Chegg is restructuring the way it operates its academic learning products," the company said. The cuts come after Chegg in May laid off 22% of its workforce, citing increasing adoption of AI. Chegg's market cap has fallen 98.8% in recent years to about $135 million.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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https://news.slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/168237/chegg-slashes-45-of-workforce-blames-new-realities-of-ai?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
dc
creator
msmash
date
2025-10-28T16:08:00+00:00
subject
ai
slash
department
new-realities
section
news
comments
21
hit_parade
21,19,16,14,6,3,2
summary
Chegg says it will lay off about 45% of its workforce, or 388 employees, as the "new realities" of artificial intelligence and diminished traffic from internet search have led to plummeting revenue. From a report: The online education company, founded 20 years ago, has been hit by the rise of generative AI software tools, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, which have become increasingly popular among students. Chegg also sued Google in February, arguing that AI summaries of search results have hurt its traffic and sales. The company reiterated that claim on Monday, saying AI and "reduced traffic from Google to content publishers" have damaged its business. "As a result, and reflecting the company's continued investment in AI, Chegg is restructuring the way it operates its academic learning products," the company said. The cuts come after Chegg in May laid off 22% of its workforce, citing increasing adoption of AI. Chegg's market cap has fallen 98.8% in recent years to about $135 million.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Harvard Says It's Been Giving Too Many A Grades To Students
An anonymous reader shares a report: More than half of the grades handed out at Harvard College are A's, an increase from decades past even as school officials have sounded the alarm for years about rampant grade inflation. About 60% of the grades handed out in classes for the university's undergraduate program are A's, up from 40% a decade ago and less than a quarter 20 years ago, according to a report released Monday by Harvard's Office of Undergraduate Education. Other elite universities, including competing Ivy League schools, have also been struggling to rein in grade inflation. The report's author, Harvard undergraduate dean Amanda Claybaugh, urged faculty to curtail the practice of awarding top scores to the majority of students, saying it undermines academic culture. "Current practices are not only failing to perform the key functions of grading; they are also damaging the academic culture of the college more generally," she said in the report.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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https://news.slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/1520235/harvard-says-its-been-giving-too-many-a-grades-to-students?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
dc
creator
msmash
date
2025-10-28T15:20:00+00:00
subject
education
slash
department
closer-look
section
news
comments
87
hit_parade
87,80,70,55,12,8,4
summary
An anonymous reader shares a report: More than half of the grades handed out at Harvard College are A's, an increase from decades past even as school officials have sounded the alarm for years about rampant grade inflation. About 60% of the grades handed out in classes for the university's undergraduate program are A's, up from 40% a decade ago and less than a quarter 20 years ago, according to a report released Monday by Harvard's Office of Undergraduate Education. Other elite universities, including competing Ivy League schools, have also been struggling to rein in grade inflation. The report's author, Harvard undergraduate dean Amanda Claybaugh, urged faculty to curtail the practice of awarding top scores to the majority of students, saying it undermines academic culture. "Current practices are not only failing to perform the key functions of grading; they are also damaging the academic culture of the college more generally," she said in the report.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

OpenAI Finalizes Corporate Restructuring, Gives Microsoft 27% Stake and Technology Access Until 2032
Microsoft and OpenAI have finalized a new agreement that removes uncertainty for investors and clears the path for OpenAI to restructure as a for-profit business. Microsoft receives a 27% ownership stake in OpenAI worth approximately $135 billion and retains access to the AI startup's technology until 2032, including models that achieve AGI. OpenAI completed its recapitalization, simplifying its corporate structure while keeping the nonprofit in control of the for-profit entity. The OpenAI Foundation receives an equity stake worth roughly $130 billion and plans to initially focus on funding work to accelerate health breakthroughs. Microsoft backed OpenAI with $13.75 billion and was the biggest holdout among investors during negotiations. Once OpenAI achieves AGI, verified by an independent expert panel, Microsoft will no longer receive a cut of OpenAI's revenue. Microsoft also loses its right of first refusal on new cloud infrastructure business from OpenAI, though OpenAI commits an additional $250 billion to Azure.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

about
https://slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/149254/openai-finalizes-corporate-restructuring-gives-microsoft-27-stake-and-technology-access-until-2032?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
dc
creator
msmash
date
2025-10-28T14:41:00+00:00
subject
microsoft
slash
department
artificial-general-commitment
section
slashdot
comments
10
hit_parade
10,10,10,10,2,0,0
summary
Microsoft and OpenAI have finalized a new agreement that removes uncertainty for investors and clears the path for OpenAI to restructure as a for-profit business. Microsoft receives a 27% ownership stake in OpenAI worth approximately $135 billion and retains access to the AI startup's technology until 2032, including models that achieve AGI. OpenAI completed its recapitalization, simplifying its corporate structure while keeping the nonprofit in control of the for-profit entity. The OpenAI Foundation receives an equity stake worth roughly $130 billion and plans to initially focus on funding work to accelerate health breakthroughs. Microsoft backed OpenAI with $13.75 billion and was the biggest holdout among investors during negotiations. Once OpenAI achieves AGI, verified by an independent expert panel, Microsoft will no longer receive a cut of OpenAI's revenue. Microsoft also loses its right of first refusal on new cloud infrastructure business from OpenAI, though OpenAI commits an additional $250 billion to Azure.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Amazon Says It Will Cut 14,000 Corporate Roles To Remove Layers
Amazon said on Tuesday it would reduce its corporate workforce by approximately 14,000 roles as part of an effort to remove bureaucracy and organizational layers. Beth Galetti, the company's senior vice president of people experience and technology, told employees in a memo that the cuts followed earlier work to strengthen teams by reducing layers and increasing ownership. The company said it would offer most affected employees 90 days to find new roles internally and that recruiting teams would prioritize internal candidates. Those unable to find positions at Amazon will receive severance pay, outplacement services and health insurance benefits, the memo added.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

about
https://slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/0932258/amazon-says-it-will-cut-14000-corporate-roles-to-remove-layers?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
dc
creator
msmash
date
2025-10-28T14:00:00+00:00
subject
business
slash
department
breaking-news
section
slashdot
comments
50
hit_parade
50,47,41,35,11,6,6
summary
Amazon said on Tuesday it would reduce its corporate workforce by approximately 14,000 roles as part of an effort to remove bureaucracy and organizational layers. Beth Galetti, the company's senior vice president of people experience and technology, told employees in a memo that the cuts followed earlier work to strengthen teams by reducing layers and increasing ownership. The company said it would offer most affected employees 90 days to find new roles internally and that recruiting teams would prioritize internal candidates. Those unable to find positions at Amazon will receive severance pay, outplacement services and health insurance benefits, the memo added.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

George Orwell Classics Get New Lease of Life In Welsh
For the first time, George Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984 have been translated into Welsh, with localized titles, character names, and even a Welsh version of Newspeak. The BBC reports: Animal Farm, a 1945 political allegory inspired by the Russian Revolution, is set in north-west Wales in the Welsh edition, Foel yr Anifeiliaid, with Orwell's classic characters given Welsh names to add authenticity. Mil Naw Wyth Deg Pedwar, or 1984, Orwell's vision of a bleak totalitarian future, published in 1949, contains a Welsh version of Newspeak, the novel's fictional language. Both books remain "seminal works with timeless relevance," said Welsh book publisher Melin Bapur, and feel "particularly relevant now in an age of 'alternative facts', AI, and misinformation."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

about
https://news.slashdot.org/story/25/10/28/0213210/george-orwell-classics-get-new-lease-of-life-in-welsh?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
dc
creator
BeauHD
date
2025-10-28T13:00:00+00:00
subject
books
slash
department
what's-old-is-new-again
section
news
comments
25
hit_parade
25,24,22,19,7,2,1
summary
For the first time, George Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984 have been translated into Welsh, with localized titles, character names, and even a Welsh version of Newspeak. The BBC reports: Animal Farm, a 1945 political allegory inspired by the Russian Revolution, is set in north-west Wales in the Welsh edition, Foel yr Anifeiliaid, with Orwell's classic characters given Welsh names to add authenticity. Mil Naw Wyth Deg Pedwar, or 1984, Orwell's vision of a bleak totalitarian future, published in 1949, contains a Welsh version of Newspeak, the novel's fictional language. Both books remain "seminal works with timeless relevance," said Welsh book publisher Melin Bapur, and feel "particularly relevant now in an age of 'alternative facts', AI, and misinformation."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.


#
Some notes:
re: autodiscovery... some of the blo.gs entries actually already have the rss link included... and I'm currently thinking about using a AmpetaDesk like bookmarklet to add geeds to my list

re: sorting of feeds:
The reader itself 'remembers' the feeds I've viewed and ranks them after the last time I accessed/viewed them. It's a very simple form of interst filtering. Feeds I don't view go down, the ones I'm really interested in go up.

alles Bild, Text und Tonmaterial ist © Martin Spernau, Verwendung und Reproduktion erfordert die Zustimmung des Authors

Martin Spernau
© 1994-2025


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