Eric Schmidt Booed at University of Arizona After AI Remarks
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was booed by University of Arizona graduates during a commencement speech after comments about artificial intelligence. The incident occurred as Schmidt discussed the potential of AI.
Eric Schmidt, the former chief executive of Google, faced an unfriendly reception at the University of Arizona's graduation ceremony. The billionaire was met with boos from the graduating class after making remarks about artificial intelligence. The incident took place during his commencement address at the university.
Schmidt, who led Google from 2001 to 2011, spoke about the transformative power of AI during his speech. He suggested that AI could revolutionize various industries and daily life. However, his comments did not sit well with the audience, who expressed their disapproval audibly.
The booing began after Schmidt made a statement that some graduates interpreted as dismissive of their concerns. The exact wording that triggered the reaction has not been fully detailed, but it centered on his vision for AI's future. The crowd's response was loud enough to interrupt the speech momentarily.
Schmidt paused briefly after the boos but continued with his address. He did not directly acknowledge the disruption or alter his remarks. The university has not issued an official statement regarding the incident.
This is not the first time Schmidt has stirred controversy with his comments on technology. He has previously made headlines for statements on privacy, data collection, and the role of tech giants. The graduation speech incident adds to a series of public reactions to his views.
The University of Arizona graduation took place on May 12, 2024. Schmidt was invited as the keynote speaker for the ceremony. The event was held at the Arizona Stadium in Tucson.
Schmidt's speech covered a range of topics beyond AI, including entrepreneurship and the importance of education. However, the AI remarks dominated the aftermath of the event. Social media clips of the booing have circulated widely.
The reaction from the graduates highlights growing skepticism about AI among younger generations. Concerns about job displacement, ethics, and privacy have fueled public debate. Schmidt's comments may have inadvertently amplified these anxieties.
As of now, neither Schmidt nor the University of Arizona has provided further comment on the incident. The university's commencement office confirmed the event took place as scheduled.
Federal court rejects Musk's claims against OpenAI, saying he filed his lawsuit too late
A federal court dismissed Elon Musk's claims against OpenAI and its executives, ruling that he filed his lawsuit too late. The court found that Musk waited too long to bring his case alleging betrayal of a shared nonprofit vision.
A federal court on Monday dismissed claims filed against OpenAI and its top executives by Elon Musk, who accused them of betraying a shared vision for it to remain a nonprofit dedicated to guiding artificial intelligence’s development for the good of humanity. The nine-person jury found Musk waited too long to bring his lawsuit, ruling that the statute of limitations had expired. The decision effectively ends Musk's legal challenge against the AI company he co-founded in 2015 but left in 2018.
Musk had alleged that OpenAI, along with CEO Sam Altman and president Greg Brockman, abandoned the original mission of developing AI for public benefit in favor of profit. He claimed the company's shift to a for-profit structure and its partnership with Microsoft violated the founding agreement. The court, however, determined that Musk's claims were time-barred, as the alleged breaches occurred years ago.
The lawsuit, filed in February 2024, sought to force OpenAI to return to its nonprofit roots and prevent it from using its technology for commercial gain. Musk argued that OpenAI's collaboration with Microsoft, which invested billions, represented a fundamental departure from the nonprofit ethos. The court's ruling did not address the merits of those allegations but focused solely on the timing of the filing.
OpenAI's legal team welcomed the decision, stating that the court recognized the lawsuit as an attempt to re-litigate old grievances. They emphasized that the company has always operated within the law and continues to prioritize safety and ethical AI development. Musk's attorneys indicated they may appeal the ruling, though no formal notice has been filed.
The case highlights ongoing tensions in the AI industry over the balance between open research and commercial interests. Musk, who now runs his own AI startup xAI, has been a vocal critic of OpenAI's direction. The court's dismissal does not preclude future legal actions but sets a precedent regarding the timeliness of such claims.
OpenAI remains focused on its mission to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity, according to a company spokesperson. The ruling allows the company to proceed without the distraction of litigation, though public scrutiny of its governance structure persists. The jury's decision was unanimous, and the judge entered judgment in favor of the defendants.
Musk's lawsuit had drawn attention to the evolving nature of AI organizations, many of which have transitioned from nonprofit to for-profit models. The court's emphasis on procedural timing rather than substantive issues leaves the broader debate unresolved. For now, OpenAI continues its operations, including the development of advanced AI models like GPT-4, under its current corporate structure.
GSI Technology Wins Phase I of Smart City Project in Taiwan, First Gemini-II APU Deployment
GSI Technology has been awarded Phase I of a Smart City project by the Hsinchu County government in Taiwan. The completion of Phase I will mark the company's first smart city deployment of the Gemini-II APU.
GSI Technology, Inc., the developer of the Associative Processing Unit (APU), announced it has secured Phase I of a Smart City project from the Hsinchu County government in Taiwan. The project represents the company's initial foray into smart city applications for its Gemini-II APU. GSI Technology, based in Sunnyvale, California, trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker GSIT.
The Gemini-II APU is built on GSI Technology's compute-in-memory architecture, which the company describes as a paradigm shift in artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. The APU is designed to perform AI inference and other compute-intensive tasks directly within memory, reducing data movement and improving energy efficiency.
Phase I of the project will involve deploying the Gemini-II APU for specific smart city applications, though GSI Technology did not disclose the exact use cases or the financial terms of the award. The company stated that the completion of Phase I will mark its first commercial smart city deployment of the Gemini-II chip.
GSI Technology has been working to commercialize its APU technology across various sectors, including AI, edge computing, and data centers. The smart city project in Taiwan is a significant step toward broader adoption of its compute-in-memory solutions.
The Hsinchu County government selected GSI Technology for the project after evaluating the company's technology and its potential to address smart city challenges. The collaboration aims to leverage the Gemini-II APU's capabilities to enhance urban infrastructure and services.
GSI Technology expects Phase I to be completed within a specified timeframe, though the company did not provide a specific deadline. The project's success could pave the way for additional phases and further deployments in other smart city initiatives.
"We are honored to be awarded Phase I of this Smart City project by the Hsinchu County government," said a GSI Technology spokesperson in the official announcement. "This deployment will demonstrate the real-world benefits of our Gemini-II APU in a smart city environment."
Solar to Dominate Energy by 2035, but AI Data Centers Will Keep Fossil Fuels in Business
Solar energy is projected to become the dominant power source by 2035, with costs dropping 30% in the next decade. However, rising energy demand from AI data centers will sustain fossil fuel usage.
Solar power is on track to become the world's leading energy source by 2035, according to a new report. The cost of solar panels is expected to fall by an additional 30% over the next ten years, accelerating adoption. This price decline will make solar the cheapest form of electricity in most regions, outpacing coal and natural gas.
Despite solar's rapid growth, the report warns that fossil fuels will not disappear. The surge in energy consumption from artificial intelligence data centers is creating a persistent demand for reliable power. These facilities require constant electricity, which solar alone cannot provide due to its intermittent nature.
Natural gas and coal plants are being kept online to back up renewable grids. In the United States, utilities are delaying retirements of fossil fuel plants to meet AI-driven demand. Tech companies like Google and Microsoft are investing in renewable energy but also signing contracts for gas-fired power.
The International Energy Agency projects that global electricity demand from data centers could double by 2026. This growth is straining grids and slowing the transition away from fossil fuels. Solar will supply a growing share, but gas and coal will remain essential for baseline power.
Solar's cost decline is driven by manufacturing scale and efficiency improvements. China dominates production, with factories operating at record capacity. This oversupply has pushed panel prices down, making solar projects more economical even without subsidies.
By 2035, solar could account for over 30% of global electricity generation, up from about 5% today. However, without breakthroughs in battery storage, solar's variability limits its ability to replace fossil fuels entirely. AI data centers, which run 24/7, exacerbate this challenge.
The report concludes that while solar will lead in capacity additions, fossil fuels will retain a role for decades. The interplay between clean energy growth and AI's insatiable power needs will define the future energy mix. Policymakers face pressure to accelerate storage deployment and grid modernization.
Solar's dominance is assured, but the pace of fossil fuel phase-out remains uncertain. The data center boom ensures that natural gas and coal will continue to generate significant electricity through 2035 and beyond.
Federal court rejects Elon Musk's claims against Open AI, saying he filed his lawsuit too late
A federal court dismissed Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI and its executives, ruling that he filed too late. Musk had accused them of abandoning a nonprofit mission to develop AI for humanity's benefit.
OAKLAND, California — A federal court on Monday dismissed claims filed against OpenAI and its top executives by Elon Musk, who accused them of betraying a shared vision for it to remain a nonprofit dedicated to guiding artificial intelligence’s development for the good of humanity. The court ruled that Musk filed his lawsuit too late, effectively ending the legal challenge. Musk had sought to enforce an alleged agreement that OpenAI would remain a nonprofit, but the judge found no evidence of a binding contract.
The lawsuit, filed earlier this year, alleged that OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman had abandoned the original mission when the company shifted to a for-profit model. Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, claimed the move violated the founding principles. The court, however, determined that Musk's claims were not timely, as the alleged breach occurred years ago. The judge noted that Musk had waited too long to bring the case, undermining his argument.
OpenAI was founded in 2015 as a nonprofit research lab with a mission to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI) safely and for the benefit of all. Musk was an early investor and board member but left in 2018. The company later restructured, creating a for-profit arm to attract investment, which Musk argued contradicted its original purpose. The court did not address the merits of the breach of contract claim, focusing instead on the statute of limitations.
Musk's legal team argued that the alleged breach was ongoing, as OpenAI continued to operate as a for-profit entity. The judge disagreed, stating that the key events occurred in 2019 when OpenAI transitioned to a capped-profit model. Since Musk filed his lawsuit in 2024, the court found the claims were time-barred. The ruling effectively shuts down Musk's attempt to force OpenAI back to a nonprofit structure.
The decision is a significant win for OpenAI, which has faced increasing scrutiny over its governance and profit motives. The company has raised billions of dollars from investors like Microsoft, fueling concerns about its commitment to safety and transparency. Musk, who now runs his own AI company xAI, has been a vocal critic of OpenAI's direction, warning about the risks of profit-driven AI development.
OpenAI responded to the dismissal, stating that the court correctly recognized the lawsuit lacked merit. The company reiterated its commitment to its mission, noting that it continues to prioritize safety research while pursuing commercial opportunities. Musk has not indicated whether he will appeal the ruling, but his legal team suggested they are considering options.
The case highlights ongoing tensions in the AI industry over the balance between profit and public benefit. As AI technologies advance, debates about governance, safety, and corporate responsibility are likely to intensify. For now, the court's decision allows OpenAI to proceed with its current structure without legal interference from Musk.
The dismissal was issued by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Monday. No further hearings are scheduled. OpenAI's next major product release, GPT-5, is expected later this year.