Meta sent a letter to Californias attorney general on Thursday urging him to stop OpenAI from converting to a for-profit company, a move that Meta says would be wrong and could lead to a proliferation of similar start-up ventures that are notionally charitable until they are potentially profitable. The letter from Meta Platforms to Attorney General Rob Bonta, first reported on byThe Wall Street Journal, comes on the heels of an injunction filed by Elon Musk at the end of November that also asked for OpenAI's conversion to be blocked.Meta argues in its letter, which The Verge has published in full, that OpenAI was able to raise billions of dollars from investors under its original nonprofit mission and now wants to change its status while retaining all of the benefits that enabled it to reach the point it has today. It goes on to say, OpenAI should not be allowed to flout the law by taking and reappropriating assets it built as a charity and using them for potentially enormous private gains. The letter also calls upon the attorney general to look into OpenAIs past practices as a nonprofit. Engadget has reached out to OpenAI for comment.Metas letter also voices support for Elon Musk and Shivon Zilis to represent public interests in Musks lawsuit against OpenAI, which was revived in August. On Friday, OpenAI published a timeline citing emails and other communications from Elon Musk to show how he previously pushed for OpenAI to become a for-profit with him at the helm.In a statement shared with The Verge in response to Meta's letter, OpenAI board chair Bret Taylor said, While our work remains ongoing as we continue to consult independent financial and legal advisors, any potential restructuring would ensure the nonprofit continues to exist and thrive, and receives full value for its current stake in the OpenAI for-profit with an enhanced ability to pursue its mission.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/now-meta-is-trying-to-stop-openais-for-profit-conversion-too-181623327.html?src=rss

There are some things you just dont do in certain parts of the US. You dont use inferior salsa during a cattle drive in Texas. You dont eat pizza with a knife and fork in New York City. You dont yell Belichick is a big, fat cheater! in a crowded Boston bar (even if it happens to be true).And if youre in New Jersey or just America in general, you NEVER take the holy name of Bruce Springsteen in vain in ANY manner. So its bewildering why one New Jersey representative would even think about faking his listening habits when it comes to The Boss.9to5Mac spotted a curious looking post on X from US Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ). The congressman shared what appeared to be his Spotify Wrapped playlist for the year, with one list consisting of Springsteens classic tracks like Glory Days and Thunder Road and the other filled with tracks from various hip hop stars. He tried to cement his esteem for Springsteen in his post by saying his first ever concert was at Meadowlands to see The Boss! Well, it didnt take long for the internet and anyone whos ever used Spotify to figure out that he faked the whole list just to kiss up to his constituents.Yikes pic.twitter.com/bTEkSodA9u Sebastian (@SebastianRios68) December 9, 2024 Gottheimers list included such glaring mistakes as inconsistent font sizes, improper spacing between the albums on his lists and the fact that both lists were titled Your top songs even though one only had Springsteen albums. He didnt even use the same font type or size for all of his track and album entries.So how did Gottheimer handle this musical faux pas with the press? He dug in his heels on his Springsteen tracks and blamed his two kids for the rest. He admitted to NJ Advance Media that he made a fake Spotify Wrapped list but says the tracks on each list are accurate because he shares an account with his children because thats easier than going back in time and setting up a family plan.This would be my Spotify Wrapped if I didnt share my account with my 12 and 15-year old kids, Gottheimer told the outlet. While its Springsteen all day for me dont get me wrong, I still love listening to Taylor Swift!Gottheimer has since taken the post down and replaced it with a list of his most listened to Springsteen tracks. Hes trying to save face because hes in a heated race for governor and if you want a solid shot at moving into New Jerseys governor mansion, then you need to make your love for The Boss known far and wide across the Garden State. If Gottheimer is also going for the Dad who makes his kids cringe at their music choices vote, then hes a lock.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/a-us-congressman-tried-and-failed-to-fake-his-spotify-wrapped-for-political-gain-205516508.html?src=rss

Europeans show enthusiasm for AI in law enforcement, yet there are concerns about its influence on elections and misinformation.

Hugging Face launches Generative AI Services (HUGS), offering zero-configuration deployment and flexible pricing for developers.

Apple will be the largest customer at TSMC's new Arizona chip fab, which the Taiwanese company says is 'dang near back' on schedule. Here's an inside look.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a "settlement demand" to Elon Musk, the tech billionaire revealed in a social media post on Thursday.

Life is full of beginnings and endings.As we wind down 2024, the end of the year still has some special moments in store for us. Be sure to look up at the night sky this weekend to catch the final full moon of the year, which is also dubbed the cold moon by the Old Farmers Almanac. This majestic celestial display is 18.6 years in the making as the moon is at its extreme points in orbit. Lets break it all down and look at the peak viewing time:Why is the December full moon cold?Historically, the phases of the moon were used to track the seasons. The names of the full moons were first recorded in the Maine Farmers Almanac in the 1930s. The monikers were partly inspired by the Native American and colonial-American cultures.Each moon has multiple names. Decembers full moon is best known as the cold moon. As NASA points out, this Mohawk name helps describe the chilly temperature of winter. It also goes by frost moon or the winter moon. Old European names include the Moon before Yule and the oak moon.What makes this full moon so special?The cold moon coincides with a major lunar standstill. This means that when the satellite rises in the east and sets in the west, it will be at its most northerly or southerly positions. Both the moons orbit and the Earths axis of rotation are titled, making this possible.Over an 18.6-year cycle, the moons orbit wobbles, which shifts the rise and setting points across the horizon. During the last three years of this movement, the moon appears to pause, creating the standstill.What is the best way to see the December cold moon?According to the Old Farmers Almanac, the cold moon will shine brightest on Sunday, December 15, at 4:02 a.m. ET. That doesnt mean you have to get out of bed in the wee hours of the morning: To the naked eye, the moon will appear full from Saturday, December 14, through Monday, December 16.If youd like to witness the major lunar standstill, this handy tool from Time and Date can help you find the exact moonrise and moonset times for your location.This full moon presents an exciting opportunity for archaeologists who are hoping to use the natural phenomenon to better understand prehistoric monuments. English Heritage, the organization that manages Stonehenge, has been researching the lunar standstill, for example. You can also watch a previous standstill at Calanais, another standing-stone monument in Scotland, and live out your Outlander dreams.

Kaja Veilleux has been hunting New England attic treasures for more than 50 years. He once found a copy of the Declaration of Independence sitting on a pile of trash, and he made headlines this year when he stumbled upon a million-dollar portrait gathering dust in an old farmhouse in Maine that may have been painted by the Dutch master Rembrandt.Then there was the time, Veilleux said, he was shown a $50,000 gold coin kicking around in a tool draweronly to have the well-meaning owner destroy much of its value before he could auction it by using a scouring pad to clean itand scratch it.Its like a treasure hunt every day, Veilleux said with a chuckle.Many people dream of cashing in on some dusty, old heirloom. In October, three sisters from Ohiosold a rare dimefor more than half a million dollars. Two years ago, a case ofold hockey cardsfound in a Canadian home sold for more than $3.7 million.Veilleux, 73, helps people sort gems from junk when he appraises furniture, antiques and art by using his knowledge of what similar items have sold for in the past. But art auctions can be fickle. Who could have guessed abanana duct-taped to a wallcould sell for more than $6 million?A fake provided an early lessonVeilleux started collecting coins at age 8 and soon found he had a good memory for visual objects. His training for a career in antique dealing has all been on the job, he said, including a lesson he learned early when he spent most of the money he had at the time on bidding for a beautiful miniature painting.When he got home from the auction and looked at the artwork under a magnifying glass, he realized it was a print, with dabs of paint added to make it look genuine.I paid $350 for a $35 object, which always taught me to look at things very carefully, Veilleux said.In the late 1990s, he was at a house call in South Freeport, Maine. It was a hoarders house, he said, where piles of trash were awaiting their trip to an already-full dumpster. Atop one pile, Veilleux spotted what was later confirmed to be a 1776 copy of the Declaration of Independence.He auctioned it for $99,000 but the state of Maine sued to take possession of the document, and won. That meant both the buyer and seller ended up missing out.A possible Rembrandt is found in MaineThis years artwork find was his most valuable yet. Veilleux said he and an assistant were on a house call in Camden, Maine.We start going through the house and there were rare little things and big things everywhere, Veilleux said. Finally, we are on the third floor near the attic, and we find a stack of paintings, and in it is this beautiful portrait of a young woman by Rembrandt.The painting of a teenage girl in a black dress with a white ruffled collar was sold as after Rembrandt, meaning it was in the style of the 17th-century master but wasnt proven to be by him. The artwork sold for $1.4 million, including auction fees, indicating the buyer was willing to take a significant gamble the painting was a Rembrandtalthough it would have likely sold for many times that price with a proven provenance.People seek to value their heirloomsEach Tuesday, people bring in their heirlooms and collectors items to Veilleuxs office in Thomaston, Maine, to see what they might fetch at auction. The appraisal is free but Veilleux gets a commission if they end up selling the pieces at his Thomaston Place Auction Galleries.Erika Taylor stopped by on a recent Tuesday with two artworks her father had collected in China in the 1940s, when he was living there after escaping from Nazi Germany. One depicted a blooming peony and the other a grasshopper.She said Veilleux had given her an initial estimate of up to $30,000 for each of the artworks, based on the photographs shed shown him. But she was in for bad news.When Veilleux inspected the artworks closely, he declared they were prints, because paint would have permeated the paper.Its disappointing, Taylor said. But he has a lot of experience.Still, Taylor wasnt totally convinced and said she might seek a second opinion.Another seller, Jean Koenig, got better news. She brought in a large aquamarine ring. She said her father found the gem in a Brazilian mine and her grandmother had fashioned it into a ring, adding rubies and diamonds.Koenig ended up agreeing to auction the ring, with an estimated sales price of between $10,000 and $15,000. She plans to split the proceeds with her seven siblings.Its just been sitting in a box for years, she said. We decided it was time.By Nick Perry, Associated Press

This week on Dezeen, we looked back at the highlights of 2024 as the year comes to an end, including the top 10 gadgets of the year.Among the projects featured in the gadget highlights were a pair ofhiking trousers that give the wearer a boost as they walk and a stretchable digital screen that can expand up to 50 per cent.We also unveiled our picks for the top 10 UK architecture projects of the year, the top 10 home interiors of the year and the top 10 cabins of the year.The proposed Legends Tower would be the tallest skyscraper in the USThe proposed tallest skyscraper in the US, Legends Tower, was back in the news this week after local airport director Jeff Mulder expressed concern about its height and safety.In a complaint to the Federal Aircraft Administration (FAA), he claimed Legends Tower's 581-metre (1,907 feet) height would create safety issues and delays for air travel.However, the tower's architect California-based studio AO has since stated it is "collaborating" with the FAA to resolve the issue.Herzog & de Meuron's design for Vancouver Art Gallery will no longer go aheadIn other North American news, Vancouver Art Gallery has abandoned its plans for a new building by Swiss architecture studioHerzog & de Meuron after almost a decade.The institution cited financial concerns as the reason for the decision. Herzog & de Meuron's renders of the project showed copper-clad stacked volumes protruding from a mass-timber structure.A new luxury hotel is set to be erected on the site of the Nakagin Capsule Tower, picturedIn Japan, renders were released of the luxury Pullman Tokyo Ginza hotel, which is set to be built on the site of the Nakagin Capsule Tower an iconic example of the metabolism architecture style.Readers' opinions were divided on the decision to erect what some called an "uninspired and generic" hotel on the site of the building, which was demolished in 2022.Pantone's colour of the year was discussed in an opinion piece this weekIn an opinion piece this week, Michelle Ogundehin discussed the Pantone colour of the year for 2025, an "unremarkable mid-brown called Mocha Mousse."The colour, which was unveiled last week, "reflects the triumph of manipulative marketing for greed over need," she said. "I believe this may be a classic exemplar of enshittification, in both story and hue."Healthcare facilities will be placed under a canopy at Jawaher Boston Medical DistrictDesigns for the Jawaher Boston Medical District in Sharjah, UAE, by Renzo Piano Building Workshop were also unveiled this week.The renders show healthcare facilities located inside a large tree-filled park, which will measure 1,000 metres by 500 metres and have a canopy at its centre.White Arkitekter has completed a sculptural water tower in SwedenPopular projects featured on Dezeen this week included a sculptural water tower in Sweden by White Arkitekter, an "architecturally unique" London home and a So Paulo penthouse designed by Philippe Starck.This week's lookbook featured interiors with gold and silver accents to ring in the festive season.This week on DezeenThis week on Dezeenis our regular roundup of the week's top news stories.Subscribe to our newslettersto be sure you don't miss anything.The post This week we picked the architecture and design highlights of 2024 appeared first on Dezeen.

Dezeen School Shows: an AI-powered companion gadget for people with dementia is included in Dezeen's latest school show by students at University of New South Wales Sydney.Also included is a project exploring possibilities of 3D printing and another aiming to increase the ecological health of a river.University of New South Wales SydneyInstitution: UNSW SydneySchool: School of the Built EnvironmentCourses: Master Landscape Architecture, Bachelor Landscape Architecture (Honours), Bachelor of Design (Computational Design) and Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours)Tutors: Dr Sara Padgett Kjaersgaard, Dr Nicole Gardner, Associate Professor Mariano Ramirez, Associate Professor Bernadette Hardy, Linden Crane, Dr Andrew Mackenzie, Simon Lloyd, Dr Melissa Cate Christ, Dr Mike Harris, Patrick Franklyn, Professor M Hank Haeusler, Charlotte Firth, Hareem Nadeem, Stephen Goddard, Dr Cristina Ramos Jaime, Professor Oya Demirbilek, Danielah Martinez, Dr Christian Tietz and Gonzalo PortasSchool statement:"At UNSW Built Environment we focus on architecture and design at every scale, from industrial-designed products to the architectural design of buildings and landscapes, up to urban and regional planning and policy."We place emphasis on sustainable design approaches that embrace circular thinking and adaptive reuse to achieve resilient and low carbon outcomes. Our social-impact design ethos seeks to meet the diverse needs of different groups, creating landscapes, buildings and products that are healthy and inclusive. We also equip students to use advanced digital tools and data, allowing them to make evidence-based decisions and develop smart ways of analysing and designing our world."Many of our student projects engage with 'Country', which Associate Professor Bernadette (B) Hardy, a traditional owner of Dharug and Gamilaraay descent, redefines for First Nations people as a profound union of the physical and spiritual, deeply connected to the world's oldest living culture."Studio design in the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture shown below is co-led by Associate Professor Hardy and Country as teacher (Dharug, Bidgigal, Gadigal, Wangal). Students and staff have been entrusted with Aboriginal knowledge and culture (referred to as Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property and Cultural Law/Lore) and permission is required for its reproduction."Overall, at UNSW Built Environment we aim to develop skilled and enquiring graduates who can positively engage, adapt and shape our cities for the benefit of all people and life on earth."AMIKO: A caring companion for dementia byZihan Eleanor Tang"AMIKO is an AI-powered companion designed to support older adults with dementia, offering emotional recognition, safety monitoring and seamless connectivity."By detecting emotions and delivering empathetic feedback, AMIKO fosters meaningful connections through warm interactions and lighting cues."This conceptual ecosystem includes AMIKI satellite units for safety reminders and the AMIKON app, enabling caregivers to receive real-time updates and stay connected."Built with durability and medical compliance in mind, AMIKO redefines dementia care by transforming daily routines into moments of comfort and connection."Student: Zihan Eleanor TangCourse: Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours)Email: zihantang.29[at]gmail.comTutors: Oya Demirbilek and Christian TietzNeuroEase: Non-invasive migraine relief byNitish Ramesh"NeuroEase offers a non-medicinal, non-invasive solution for managing migraines using advanced Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) technology."This wearable concept provides fast, effective relief, empowering users to treat migraines anytime, anywhere without relying on pharmaceuticals."Designed as a complete treatment package, NeuroEase includes a charging dock, electrode gel and tissues for cleaning, making it a portable and user-friendly system."Its sleek, empathetic design combines comfort, functionality and adjustable settings to ensure a tailored experience."Student: Nitish RameshCourse: Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours)Email: nitish.ramesh2003[at]gmail.comTutors: Gonzalo Portas, Danielah Martinez and Christian TietzRipple Rails byOlivia Xiao"Ripple Rails is an urban technology design project that explores creative uses for smart technologies by leveraging the affordances of physical computing and engaging with principles of interaction design to create safer commuting conditions for school age pedestrians and cyclists."The site-specific design uses sensors to collect data about commuting behaviour and to drive real-time responsive actuation including movement and LED lighting to help manage the safe flow of commuters through a spatially constrained site."Student: Olivia XiaoCourse: Bachelor of Design (Computational Design)Email: o.xiao[at]student.unsw.edu.auTutors: M Hank Haeusler and Hareem NadeemThe Need for Speed byLouis Lamont"The Need for Speed: An investigation into parametric velocity control to enable variable extrusion rate on large-scale pellet-based robotic printing is a computational design research project that investigates workflows to enhance accuracy and achieve uniform layer thicker for multi-planar robotic printing."Student: Louis LamontCourse: Bachelor of Design (Computational Design)Email: louis.lamont[at]student.unsw.edu.auTutors: Nicole Gardner, Stephen Goddard and Cristina Ramos JaimeTimeless: How can we weave stories of Moore Park that connect diverse users to the landscape? byHamnah Maqsood"A deeper understanding of indigenous knowledge systems and their profound connection with country is essential in fostering place-based relationships with landscapes."The research proposal explores the ongoing storied process of indigenous origins, Moore Park's history and future users, with the aim of being woven into the green fabric, to address issues of biodiversity loss for migratory bird habitats and the absence of place-based connections."The design of organic structures and pathways engage students, locals and indigenous people in programmes that elevate sensory connections and celebrate indigenous practices of weaving."Student: Hamnah MaqsoodCourse: Master Landscape ArchitectureEmail: hamnah2001[at]hotmail.comTutors: Linden Crane, Andrew Mackenzie, Simon Lloyd and Melissa Cate ChristSymbiosis and Co-living byShuwen Li"The Goolay'yari (Cooks) River, has a rich, continuing history with the Dharug People of the Sydney area."Once populated with an expansive array of more-than-human-kin, such as the Wurridjal (mullet), the river has been facing challenges since the middle of the 20th century."Conflicts between engineered concrete embankments for flood mitigation and its natural swampy, mangrove rich edges, alongside significant industrial pollution and runoff, have drastically reduced the amount of habitat that sustains aquatic life."The project seeks to establish a series of adaptive nature-based solutions to return the keystone fish habitat of the mullet to its original state and subsequently enhance the rivers resilience to future seasonal flooding events under projected sea-level rises."Reuse of the existing concrete block river edge also ensues a net positive climate outcome."Student: Shuwen LiCourse: Bachelor Landscape Architecture (Honours)Email: catherinerrr520[at]gmail.comTutors: Mike Harris, Linden Crane and Patrick FranklynWhispers of the River byKang Zheng"The Cooks River, known as Goolay'yari by the Traditional Custodians of the land, winds its way through the heart of Canterbury, carrying with it a rich tapestry of history, culture and ecological significance."Once a thriving tidal waterway teeming with biodiversity, the river has been shaped by urbanisation, resulting in degraded habitats, water pollution and diminished community connection."This project centres on the riverfront spaces of the Cooks River, envisioning them as catalysts for reimagining the river's identity as both a natural system and a communal landscape."Rooted in a layered history of reclamation, urbanisation and ongoing restoration, the river's complexity demands innovative, climate-conscious design strategies."By harmonising human activity with the river's natural processes, this project aims to restore its ecological health, enhance its cultural significance and ensure its accessibility and vitality for future generations."Student: Kang ZhengCourse: Bachelor Landscape Architecture (Honours)Email: zhengkang.au[at]gmail.comTutors: Mike Harris, Linden Crane and Patrick FranklynSign of the Tides byElla Short"On matriarchal Dharug land, the Goolay'yari (Cooks River) is the most polluted urban river in Australia."With the heavy urbanisation of the river, its natural ecosystem services are almost lost, but there are signs of the river fighting back."This project will give the land back to the river with deep consideration of what was and what will become."Tides are a contingent, abiding event pushed and pulled by the moon (yanada in Dharug). These ebb and flow cycles of science, spirituality and celebration have been deeply considered."Sign of the Tides has created spaces that encourage the ecological and social fluctuations that occur with water and lunar cycles."Student: Ella ShortCourse: Bachelor Landscape Architecture (Honours)Email: ellanshort[at]gmail.comTutors: Mike Harris, Linden Crane and Patrick FranklynOasis: Transforming sleep with light and sound by Yingqi Amy Feng"Oasis is a bedside sleep therapy system that reimagines the moment of switching off, transitioning seamlessly between ambient light and sound therapy."Inspired by the ritual of turning off the lights, its tactile pivot mechanism dims a warm 2500K light while activating customisable soundscapes grounded in cognitive behavioural therapy."Rhythmic breathing guides, white noise, and adaptive soundscapes relax the mind and promote deep sleep."Oasis is designed for longevity and has a replaceable magnetic front cover and a durable aluminium structure."Student: Yingqi Amy FengCourse: Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours)Email: amyfengdesign[at]gmail.comTutors: Danielah Martinez and Christian TietzRobotic Computing byRachel Deeb"This project adopts an iterative design approach to optimise design and fabrication processes using Python scripting in Grasshopper for Rhinoceros."A series of physical prototypes were fabricated using a 3-axis 3D printer to test tool path techniques, including changes to feed and extrusion rates and to create diverse surface patterns and woven textures."Student: Rachel DeebCourse: Bachelor of Design (Computational Design)Email: r.deeb[at]student.unsw.edu.auTutor: Charlotte FirthPartnership contentThis school show is a partnership between Dezeen and the University of New South Wales Sydney. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.The post University of New South Wales Sydney presents ten architecture and design projects appeared first on Dezeen.