The transition from the Middle to Upper Paleolithic, occurring approximately 50,000 to 38,000 years ago, was a pivotal period characterized by the decline and extinction of Neanderthals alongside the emergence and expansion of anatomically modern humans, known as Homo sapiens. Paleoanthropologists at the University of Cologne have created a high-resolution model of population dynamics to reconstruct this significant transition on the Iberian Peninsula. Their ensemble simulations investigated Neanderthal survival, the arrival of modern humans, and the potential for interbreeding.
This image shows a Neanderthal and a human child. Image credit: Neanderthal Museum.
During this critical transition from the Middle Paleolithic to the Upper Paleolithic, Neanderthal populations experienced a steady decline across Europe, particularly in the Iberian Peninsula, leading to their eventual extinction.
Simultaneously, anatomically modern humans spread throughout Europe, marking a significant shift in human history.
This era was further defined by dramatic climate fluctuations, featuring alternating cold and warm periods. Rapid warming events occurred within centuries, contrasting with gradual cooling phases, known as the Dansgaard-Eschger phenomenon, which were punctuated by severe cooling caused by iceberg releases into the North Atlantic (Heinrich phenomenon).
The precise timing of Neanderthal extinction and the arrival of modern humans remains uncertain, leaving open the possibility of interactions between the two species.
Genetic analyses of archaeological bones compared to modern populations indicate admixture events in eastern Europe during the early phases of modern human migration.
Given the uncertainty of these dates, it remains possible that the two populations on the Iberian Peninsula may have intermixed at a later time, though this has yet to be substantiated.
In this innovative study, Professor Yaping Hsiao and his colleagues from the University of Cologne utilized numerical models to exploratory simulate potential encounters between Neanderthals and modern humans on the Iberian Peninsula.
These models considered ongoing climate changes while simulating the populations of both groups, along with their interactions and connectivity.
“By running the model multiple times with varying parameters, we can assess the plausibility of different scenarios, such as the early extinction of Neanderthals, small at-risk populations, or prolonged survival leading to admixture,” explained Professor Hsiao.
“However, for the majority of the simulations, the two groups did not converge.”
Across all scenarios, the populations exhibited high sensitivity to climate change.
Mixing between the two species was plausible if both populations could maintain stability over an extended period.
At a low probability (1%), a small fraction of the total population—approximately 2-6%—could possess genes from both groups by the end of the simulation.
This admixture likely occurred in the northwestern region of the Iberian Peninsula, where modern humans may have arrived early enough to interact with still-surviving Neanderthal populations.
“By integrating climate, demography, and cultural factors, our dynamic model provides a comprehensive framework that enhances our interpretation of the archaeological and genomic records,” stated Professor Gerd Christian Weniger from the University of Cologne.
For further details, refer to a paper that will be published in the online journal PLoS ONE.
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Y. Xiao et al. 2025. Pathways at the Crossroads of Iberia: Dynamic Modeling of the Middle to Upper Paleolithic Transition. PLoS ONE 20 (12): e0339184; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0339184
HP, the US-based computer and printer manufacturer, is ramping up its use of AI to speed up product development, with plans to create between 4,000 and 6,000 jobs worldwide over the next three years.
The company announced that its profit forecast for the upcoming year is less optimistic than anticipated. HP indicated it would cut jobs while expecting to bolster its workforce by the end of October 2028. Currently, HP has around 56,000 employees. The announcement caused a 6% dip in the company’s stock price.
“Looking ahead, we recognize a substantial opportunity to integrate AI into HP to facilitate product innovation, enhance customer satisfaction, and boost productivity,” stated Enrique Lores, CEO of the Californian company.
He mentioned that the layoffs would impact teams involved in product development, internal operations, and customer support, forecasting annual savings of $1 billion (£749 million) by 2028, despite incurring an estimated cost of $650 million from the cuts.
These job cut announcements coincide with warnings from a prominent education and research charity that up to three million low-skilled jobs in the UK could vanish by 2035 due to automation and AI. The National Educational Research Foundation suggests that jobs at risk include those in trades, machine operation, and management.
Earlier this year, in February, HP had already reduced its workforce by 1,000 to 2,000 employees as part of a restructuring initiative.
Recently, various companies have cited AI advancements as a reason for workforce reductions. Last week, law firm Clifford Chance announced a 10% reduction in its London business services staff (approximately 50 positions), partly due to new technological implementations.
The head of PwC recently scaled back plans to hire 100,000 employees from 2021 to 2026, remarking that AI has altered hiring requirements, stating, “The world is different than it was.”
Khurana noted last week that the Buy Now, Pay Later company has nearly halved its workforce over three years through attrition, attributing this to savings related to AI, with departing staff being replaced by technology rather than new hires, indicating potential further cuts ahead.
Numerous US technology firms have initiated job cuts in recent months as rising prices and a government shutdown negatively affect consumer spending.
Business leaders in various sectors aim to leverage AI to expedite software development and automate customer service. Cloud providers are securing substantial memory resources to meet the computing needs of companies like Anthropic and OpenAI that are developing advanced AI models, which has led to rising memory costs.
Analysts at Morgan Stanley have indicated that rising memory chip prices driven by increased demand from data centers could put pressure on profits for HP as well as competitors like Dell and Acer.
“Memory costs are currently 15-18% of a typical PC’s price, and while we anticipated an increase, the rate has surged in recent weeks,” stated Lores.
HP reported fourth-quarter sales of $14.6 billion, surpassing expectations. There is a growing demand for AI-powered PCs, accounting for over 30% of HP’s shipments in the quarter ending October 31.
OpenAI declared on Tuesday that it has officially transformed its core business into a for-profit entity, concluding a lengthy and challenging legal dispute.
Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings, an essential regulatory figure, announced her approval of a plan for the startup, initially established as a nonprofit in 2015, to transition into a public benefit corporation. This type of for-profit organization highlights a commitment to societal betterment.
The company also revealed that it has restructured its ownership and inked a new agreement with its long-time supporter, Microsoft. The arrangement will provide the tech giant with about a 27% stake in OpenAI’s new commercial venture, altering some specifics of their close partnership. According to the deal, OpenAI is valued at $500 billion, making Microsoft’s stake worth over $100 billion.
This restructuring allows the creators of ChatGPT to raise funds more easily and profit from AI technology while remaining under the nominal oversight of the original nonprofit.
Jennings stated in a release that she does not oppose the proposal, marking the end of over a year of discussions and announcements regarding the oversight of OpenAI’s governance and the influence commercial investors and their nonprofit board will exert over the organization’s technology. The attorney generals of Delaware, where OpenAI is incorporated, and California, where its headquarters are located, both indicated they were investigating the proposed alterations.
OpenAI confirmed it completed the reorganization “after almost a year of productive discussions” with authorities in both states.
“OpenAI has finalized a recapitalization and streamlined its corporate framework,” Brett Taylor, chairman of the OpenAI board, stated in a blog post on Tuesday.
Elon Musk, one of the co-founders of OpenAI and a former ally of Mr. Altman, had contested the transition through a lawsuit, which he later dropped, then refiled, and made an unexpected bid of nearly $100 billion to take control of the startup.
“Nonprofits will continue to oversee for-profit corporations and now have direct access to essential resources before AGI arrives,” Taylor noted.
AGI, or artificial general intelligence, is defined by OpenAI as “a highly autonomous system that surpasses humans at the most economically significant tasks.” OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit in 2015 with the goal of safely creating AGI for the betterment of humanity.
Previously, OpenAI stated that its own board would determine when AGI would be achieved, effectively ending its partnership with Microsoft. However, now “Once AGI is announced by OpenAI, this declaration will be confirmed by an independent panel of experts,” and Microsoft’s rights to OpenAI’s proprietary research methodologies will “persist until the panel of experts confirms the AGI or until 2030, whichever occurs first.” Microsoft also retains commercial rights to certain “post-AGI” products from OpenAI.
Microsoft also released a related statement on Tuesday regarding the revised partnership, but opted not to provide additional comments.
The nonprofit will be rebranded as the OpenAI Foundation, and Taylor mentioned it will allocate $25 billion in grants for health and disease treatment and to safeguard against AI-related cybersecurity threats. He did not specify the timeline for disbursing these funds.
Robert Wiseman, co-director of the nonprofit organization Public Citizen, remarked that this setup does not ensure autonomy for nonprofits, comparing them to corporate foundations that cater to the interests of for-profit entities.
Wiseman stated that while a nonprofit’s board may formally retain oversight, “control is illusory because there is no evidence that the nonprofit has enforced its values on the for-profit.”
Soon, tens of thousands of Americans will be compelled to transition from well-known obesity medications to alternatives that are likely to yield less effective weight loss, thanks to decisions made by Health’s insurance providers.
This situation exemplifies the consequences of a clandestine agreement between a pharmaceutical company and an intermediary known as a pharmacy benefits manager (PBM), appointed by employers to manage prescription coverage for their workforce. While employers benefit from lower medication costs, employees find themselves restricted from accessing competitive healthcare options. This type of insurance denial has become increasingly prevalent in the last decade.
Caremark, part of CVS Health and one of the largest PBMs, has opted to eliminate coverage for Zepbound, despite research indicating its weight loss efficacy surpasses that of Wegovy.
Ellen Davis, a 63-year-old resident of Huntington, Massachusetts, is one of those affected by Caremark’s decision. “It’s as if the rug has been pulled out from under me,” she expressed.
After using Zepbound for a year, she lost 85 pounds and experienced significant health improvements, having retired after a 34-year tenure at Verizon.
In a letter addressed to Verizon, she stated, “This forces patients to transition to less effective medications without any justification for medical care.”
Verizon did not respond to inquiries.
Following Caremark’s announcement, word spread rapidly online. A physician’s assistant at a weight loss clinic in New Hampshire started a Change.org petition to urge the company to reconsider. As of Sunday afternoon, it had garnered over 2,700 signatures. Caremark is set to cease Zepbound coverage in July.
Doctors assert that both Wegovy, from Novo Nordisk, and Zepbound are effective medications; however, they prefer Zepbound for most patients. This shift greatly limits their ability to tailor obesity medication prescriptions to individual needs.
It remains unclear if the omission of Zepbound will enhance Caremark’s profit margins.
Executives from Novo Nordisk claim they are not attempting to obstruct Zepbound’s availability. They maintain that patients and healthcare providers should have the autonomy to select their preferred medications.
David Whitrap, a spokesperson for Caremark, stated that the firm’s objective was to reduce drug costs. He noted that the agreement would lower obesity drug prices for Caremark’s employer clients by 10-15% compared to the previous year.
“CVS Caremark has aimed to let PBMs competitors often put forth their best efforts. Our choice is to encourage competition among clinically similar products while providing the lowest net costs to our clients,” Whitrap commented.
When queried about studies highlighting Zepbound’s advantages, Whitrap indicated that both medications are highly effective, and that clinical trial outcomes frequently diverge from real-world results.
The actual pricing that employers pay for medications is usually confidential. The Health Transformation Alliance, a consortium of major employers, reports that the average monthly cost for a large employer falls between $550 and $650.
Without insurance, patients might spend approximately $500 monthly on their medications. Many recently lost cheaper alternatives when regulators halted the sale of generic versions that cost below $200 monthly.
Countless employers do not cover either Zepbound or Wegovy due to their high cost. Medicare excludes most drugs for obese patients, and the Trump administration recently declined to support the Biden administration’s proposal to expand coverage.
Caremark, along with two other PBMs, dominates 80% of the prescription market. Other players, like Cigna’s Express Scripts and UnitedHealth’s Optum Rx, have not implemented similar restrictions on weight loss medications.
Since 2012, major PBMs have increasingly employed strategies that disrupt patient care and complicate treatment plans. Medications have been abruptly removed from the PBM’s official list of covered drugs.
According to a drugmaker-funded analysis, the number of medications excluded from at least one PBM list surged from 50 in 2014 to 548 in 2022. This count reflects instances where patients were compelled to switch to entirely different drugs, not merely to a standard version or alternative replica.
Limitations fluctuate frequently, leaving patients uncertain about the reasons behind them. One PBM might cover a specific drug while another does not, but competing managers may do the reverse.
Exclusions are generally purported not to harm patients; in certain instances, they may even be beneficial if patients are nudged toward more effective medications.
However, some exclusions have prompted significant concern among patients and healthcare providers.
In 2022, Caremark compelled patients to switch from one widely utilized blood-thinning elixir to Xarelto, leading to anecdotal reports that patients experienced complications during their treatment change. A group of physicians criticized this move, and the company restored coverage for the elixir six months later.
Individuals with autoimmune diseases, such as arthritis, often face similar mandatory drug switches. Asthma patients are also experiencing transitions to alternate inhalers.
“We’ve witnessed numerous situations,” remarked Dr. Robin Cohen, an asthma specialist at Boston Medical Center.
Representatives on behalf of employers indicate that patients affiliated with Caremark have already reached out via calls and emails, inquiring about the potential impact on their prescriptions. While they may remain on the PBM’s drug list, they have not played an active role in shaping it.
Caremark’s changes are applicable only to specific private insurance beneficiaries whose employers selected the most prevalent drug list managed by PBMs. This movement excludes patients receiving a version of diabetes medication.
Patients can consider switching to Wegovy or three other weight loss alternatives.
Whitrap noted that Caremark provides a “case-by-case medical exception process for individuals who may require alternatives,” including patients who have previously utilized Wegovy and saw insufficient weight loss.
However, many individuals may not meet the criteria for the exemption. In a conversation, one patient expressed a desire for Zepbound specifically and was not interested in switching.
“I selected Zepbound in consultation with my physician,” stated Carl Hoode, 49, from Saugus, Massachusetts.
Some patients are contemplating using their own funds to continue Zepbound. For 28-year-old Victoria Bello of Syracuse, New York, the medication has provided significant health improvements, and she fears losing access to it.
“I wasn’t prepared for such a sudden change,” she remarked. “I’m concerned for my health and the potential setback in my progress.”
A study funded by Eli Lilly conducted direct comparisons of medications across 750 clinical trials over a span of 16 months.
Participants receiving high doses of Zepbound shed an average of 50 pounds, whereas those on Wegovy lost around 33 pounds. Though both medications are administered via injection and share side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation, the frequency of these effects was generally comparable between the two drugs. A small proportion of patients in both groups discontinued medication due to side effects.
Both drugs function similarly but have critical differences. Wegovy mimics only a single appetite-regulating hormone, while Zepbound influences two. Researchers believe that engaging more hormones leads to greater weight loss.
Dr. Jason Brett, an executive at Novo Nordisk, indicated in a recent interview that the quantity of weight lost is just one aspect of obesity treatment. Both medications are associated with improved heart health, though only Novo Nordisk has obtained regulatory approval to market the drug with that claim.
Medical professionals contend that both options must remain accessible, as Wegovy may outshine Zepbound in terms of weight loss efficacy or having milder side effects.
Healthcare providers advocate for the availability of both medications due to the diverse responses patients exhibit when using either Wegovy or Zepbound.
Supporters of Caremark argue that their decision to restrict Zepbound is merely fulfilling their responsibilities.
Benefits managers engage with pharmaceutical companies to negotiate payments known as rebates, which ultimately reduce employers’ costs for prescription drugs. These negotiations can yield substantial fees for the biggest market players. Caremark stood to gain significant revenue from weight loss medications without needing to exclude Zepbound.
The weight loss pill market is thriving, with both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly vying for market share.
Caremark engaged both drug manufacturers regarding rebate amounts associated with making their products available. However, neither Novo Nordisk nor Eli Lilly disclosed specific amounts provided. Novo Nordisk maintains that it did not advocate for or pay to inhibit Zepbound’s availability, emphasizing that the exclusion was solely Caremark’s decision.
“We believe that patients and physicians should determine what’s in the best interest of the patient,” stated Lars Flugaard Jorgensen, CEO of Novo Nordisk. He elaborated to Wall Street analysts this month.
Elizabeth DeGalier, 56, of Rochester, Minnesota, shared that Zepbound had a transformative impact on her life, expressing her frustration over Caremark’s choice. “It appears they overlooked scientific evidence,” she remarked. “They were primarily motivated by financial considerations.”
She added, “I am apprehensive about the future. I rely on several other expensive medications. Will they also be discontinued?”
I“I’ve spent over 15 years in the gaming industry, and one of the most frustrating aspects is explaining it at social gatherings. People frequently respond with, ‘Oh, I’m not really into gaming.’ I don’t particularly enjoy croissants, but that’s not the first thing I mention to a pastry chef I meet.”
One of the highlights of publishing my debut novel last year was the chance to sidestep that entirely and say, “Oh, I’m a writer.” I penned a novel. I’m currently working on another project. Now that you’ve wrapped up with work, we can continue our conversation. Nobody says, “Oh, I’m not really reading a book,” which is at least somewhat unlikely to be true.
It’s become evident that I’m not alone in transitioning between these two mediums. Why is that? For many, it boils down to finances. Writing novels is notoriously challenging as a source of income, and novelists have traditionally depicted careers across various fields. A 2022 report by the Author’s License and Collection Association (ALCS) revealed that professional authors earn a median of £7,000 annually from writing. Romance author Mallory Marlowe, whose debut love story became a bestseller last year, notes that her day job in video games supports her writing endeavors. “Fortunately, I receive a steady paycheck,” she states.
At the same time, game writers are facing their own struggles. GDC’s 2025 Game Industry Report indicates that one story designer and writer was let go last year. Naturally, some game writers are now exploring opportunities in other sectors.
Scottish science fiction…like. Photo: Harry Josephine Giles
Occasionally, writers create a direct connection between the two mediums, allowing them to influence one another. Written in both Scottish and English, Harry Josephine Giles’ “Game Like” serves as a precursor to her book “Deep Wheel Orcadia,” a poetry novel capably expressed in the 2022 Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning Orkney dialect. Meanwhile, John Ingold, co-founder of Narrative Game Studio Inkle (known for “80 Days!”), has released two novels set within the studio’s “Game Heaven Vault” universe. Ingold self-published these works. For him, writing them was a means to immerse himself more in the gaming world, but he remarked that “the novel’s plot proved challenging to construct. The main character consistently hesitates to abandon things.”
When I inquire about the primary differences in form from fellow novelist game writers, I’m often surprised by the diversity of responses. For some, it relates to the creative process. The act of writing a novel can serve as an escape from collaborative compromises, while games require immersive teamwork. Joe Dunthorne (author of “Submarine,” “The Tullterants”) has written novels, poetry, and most recently, a memoir titled “Radium’s Child.” Despite setbacks in the gaming industry, he commented, “After the solitude and madness of novel writing, I found relief going into the office each day. Collaborating with game designers was especially inspiring; I marveled at their ability to conceptualize complex, dizzying structures.”
Apocalypse mystery… Salt Sea Chronicle. Photo: Digoot Fabric
Sharna Jackson creates children’s novels, including high-rise mysteries and nine-night quests. She has also contributed to the audio experiences of Die Gute Fabrik’s post-apocalyptic mystery games “Saltsea Chronicles” and “Yoto.” For her, the crucial difference lies in the volume of text available in games: “Many words remain unread or unheard, depending on the player’s choices within the experience.” Some of the most rewarding moments result in “rare occurrences and Easter eggs” that only a select few players may discover. Mallory Marlowe emphasizes the “strange independence” afforded to writers in gaming, yet acknowledges that novelists might take time to adapt to crafting narratives for players who approach story engagement with varying levels of commitment. “Some people just want to press a button and cause chaos,” she points out. “Others dive deep into the narrative.”
Ultimately, nearly everyone I converse with raises the distinct cultural status disparity between games and literature. Jim Munroe (author of “We Are Raccoons,” “Unmanned”) has been crafting games and books for over 25 years. He notes that books are culturally revered in a way that games are not. “Creators are engaged in gaming, despite its lower status,” he observes. Naomi Alderman, author of “Disobedience” and “Future,” echoes these sentiments. During a week when both her novel “The Power” and the game “zombies run!” (a co-creation involving six individuals) garnered awards, her book received attention on the front page of India’s Times, while “zombies run!” barely made a ripple within the specialized gaming press.
Naomi Alderman won the 2017 Bailey Women’s Award for her novel The Power. Photo: Stuart C Wilson/Getty Images
Conversations often circle back to the contrasting societal roles of gaming and literature, with varying responses to this reality. Munroe suggests that the gaming industry often attracts those with a penchant for independence. Marlowe appreciates the curiosity and confusion surrounding the notion of writing for games, cherishing the subsequent discussions. For Harry Josephine Giles, the unique space gaming occupies brings her joy; she underscores that games, being a newer form, have less rigid conventions. Early English novelists like Aphra Behn and Laurence Sterne disrupted norms, fundamentally altering the landscape, while today, only the most experimental novels enjoy similar flexibility. Games—carrying a lower cultural status—remain adaptable. As Dunthorne puts it, “Writing is often a lower priority in game design, and that’s alright. Games aren’t novels.”
Clearly, a new wave of young writers has emerged who grew up as native gamers, seamlessly transitioning between the two cultural forms without perceiving one as inherently superior to the other. Indeed, even in gaming, one might still encounter individuals at social events declaring, “Oh, I’m not really into them.” However, this might simply indicate the opportunity to create something extraordinary and unique while remaining unnoticed.
His company Meta announced on Tuesday that it would scrap the facts. He accused the US checkers of making biased decisions and said he wanted greater freedom of speech. Meta uses third-party independent fact checkers from around the world. Here, one of them, who works at the Full Fact organization in London, explains what they do and their reaction to Zuckerberg’s “mind-boggling” claims.
I was a fact checker at Full Fact in London for a year, investigating questionable content on Facebook, X and newspapers. Our diet is filled with disinformation videos about wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as fake AI-generated video clips of politicians, which are becoming increasingly difficult to disprove. There is. Colleagues are tackling coronavirus disinformation, misinformation about cancer treatments, and there’s a lot of climate-related talk as there are more hurricanes and wildfires.
As soon as you log on at 9am, you’re assigned something to watch. By accessing Meta’s system, you can see which posts are most likely to be false. In some cases, there may be 10 or 15 potentially harmful things and it can be overwhelming. But you can’t check everything.
If a post is a little wild but not harmful, like this AI-generated image of the Pope wearing a giant white puffer coat, we might leave it. But if it’s a fake image of Mike Tyson holding a Palestinian flag, we’re more likely to address it. We propose them in the morning meeting and are then asked to start checking.
Yesterday I was working on a deepfake video in which Keir Starmer said many of the claims about Jimmy Savile were frivolous and that was why he was not prosecuted at the time. We’re getting a lot of engagement. Starmer’s mouth did not look right and did not appear to say anything. It seemed like a false alarm. I immediately started doing a reverse image search and discovered that the video was taken from the Guardian newspaper in 2012. The original was of much higher quality. The area around his mouth is very blurry and you can see exactly what he’s saying when you compare it to what he shares on social media. We contacted the Guardian for comment on the original Downing Street. You can also get in touch with various media forensics and deepfake AI experts.
Some misinformation continues to resurface. There is a particular video of a gas station explosion in Yemen last year that has been reused as either a bombing in Gaza or a Hezbollah attack on Israel.
Fact checkers collect examples of how that information has appeared on social media in the past 24 hours or so, often times like the number of likes or shares, and how do they know when it’s incorrect? indicates.
Attaching fact checks to Facebook posts requires two levels of review. Senior colleagues question every leap in logic we make. For recurring claims, this process can be completed in half a day. New, more complex cases may take closer to a week. The average is about 1 day. It can be frustrating to go back and forth at times, but you want to be as close to 100% sure as possible.
It was very difficult to hear Mark Zuckerberg say that fact checkers are biased on Tuesday. Much of the work we do is about being fair, and that’s instilled in us. I feel it is a very important job to bring about change and provide good information to people.
This is something I wanted to do in my previous job in local journalism, go down rabbit holes and track down sources, but I didn’t have many opportunities. It was very Churnalism. As a local reporter, I was concerned and felt helpless at the amount of conspiracy theories people were seriously engaging with and believing in Facebook groups.
At the end of the day, it can be difficult to switch off. I’m still thinking about how to prove something as quickly as possible. When I see things like content stock prices constantly going up, I get a little worried. But when a fact check is published, there is a sense of satisfaction.
Zuckerberg’s decision was unfortunate. We put a lot of effort into this and we think it’s really important. But we renew our resolve to fight the good fight. Misinformation will never go away. We will continue to be here and fight against it.
OpenAI has announced plans to reorganize its corporate structure in the coming year, noting that it will establish a public benefit corporation to oversee its expanding operations and alleviate constraints imposed by its current nonprofit parent company.
According to the proposed framework, a for-profit public interest corporation will manage OpenAI’s business activities, while a nonprofit entity will oversee the organization’s philanthropic endeavors in fields like healthcare, education, and science.
This new structure grants greater authority to OpenAI’s commercial division. The company stated in a blog post that it aims to create a “more robust nonprofit entity supported by the accomplishments of a for-profit entity.” OpenAI also mentioned that this setup will enable them to “secure the necessary funding” comparable to other companies in the industry.
Initially established as a nonprofit research-focused organization in 2015, OpenAI is the creator of the popular ChatGPT chatbot and is considered one of the most valuable startups globally.
In pursuit of artificial general intelligence (AGI), a form of AI surpassing human intellect, OpenAI has been exploring structural modifications over the past year to attract additional investment. The success of the latest $6.6 billion funding round (valuing the company at $157 billion) hinged on restructuring and eliminating profit restrictions for investors.
“Investors are willing to back us, but at this scale of capital, we no longer require traditional funding with extensive structural constraints,” stated OpenAI in a blog post.
Microsoft holds the largest stake in OpenAI at 49%, a situation that could become intricate if OpenAI transitions into a commercial entity. Investment banks have been engaged to facilitate the process and determine Microsoft’s future ownership stake in the reorganized OpenAI. As reported by the Wall Street Journal.
OpenAI’s competitors in the generative AI sector, including Anthropic and Elon Musk’s xAI, have adopted a similar public benefit corporation model. OpenAI believes that adopting this structure can enhance its competitiveness in the market.
“The substantial investment being made by leading companies in AI development underscores the level of commitment needed for OpenAI to advance its mission,” mentioned OpenAI in a blog post. “We once again find ourselves in need of raising more funds than we had anticipated.”
Prince Harry, who caused an uproar in the press last year, wrote candidly in his memoirs: spare About taking ketamine to cope with his mother’s death. He’s not the only one talking about this substance. The substance was previously known primarily as a tranquilizer for horses and a psychedelic rave drug. It’s hard to keep track of the many celebrities who have openly talked about taking ketamine to improve their mental health.
Hundreds of clinics have opened across the United States offering intravenous infusions of the drug at point of care, a trend now extending to the United Kingdom. Pioneering companies concerned about the mental health of their employees are beginning to offer this therapy as a benefit. Some companies even floated the idea of setting up ketamine clinics at their headquarters. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies are developing over-the-counter ketamine products such as lozenges and topical creams. This drug has become the most commonly available psychedelic therapy.
This may sound like good news, given the growing evidence that ketamine can treat depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and addiction. However, its use in the treatment of mental health conditions is still novel and many uncertainties remain. Possibly influenced by its popularity as a therapeutic agent, illicit use is also on the rise.
All of this means it’s time to ask whether ketamine can really relieve mental health problems, how it works, and are there any risks to its newfound popularity? is. Psychiatrist…
Until February 28th and March 1st In 2021, I sent the following text as an email attachment to others: 30 people I thought were closest friend. The subject was: : “It's a bomb.” I grinned at the unintentional pun and wondered if there were other people out there who would do the same. The title was simply “Lucy”.
TOn February 16th, when I downloaded FaceApp for a laugh, he burst out. I tried this application a few years ago, but something went wrong and it returned images that failed horribly. But I had a new phone, so I was curious. The gender swap feature was the biggest takeaway for me, and the first photo I used this feature on was one I had tried before. This time, it gave me a frontal portrait of a middle-aged woman who is strong, healthy, and living a clean life. She also had beautiful flowing chestnut hair and very subtle makeup. And her face was mine. There's no question about it – her nose, mouth, eyes, forehead, chin. she was me When I saw her, I felt something melt in her core. It shook from her shoulders to her crotch. I thought I had finally arrived at my calculation.
Soon, I was entering all my portraits, snapshots, and ID card photos into the magical gender portal. The first archival photo I tried was a studio portrait of an anxious, awkward teenage girl, around the same time as my first memory of gazing into the mirror and having my hair and expression styled like a girl's. The result of the transformation was the revelation of a happy girl. Other than her long black hair, little was done to transform her into Lucy. The biggest difference was how relaxed she looked.
And that's pretty much how it turned out. I was having a lot of fun as a girl in that parallel life. I passed through every era through the machine and experienced one shock of recognition after another. That would have been exactly me. Oddly enough, the app seemed to be guessing at my hairstyle and fashion choices at the time. And the less the images changed, the deeper they drove the dagger into my heart. It could be me! Fifty years are underwater, and I can't get them back.
My high school graduation portrait turned out to be an incredibly delicate almond-eyed fawn (admittedly 17 years old was the pinnacle of my beauty, perhaps that's why my male incubus soon That's probably why he grew a beard). Ten or twelve years later (unfortunately, there are very few photos of me in my 20s; I've always been camera-shy), I was a Lower East Side post-punk radical with a Dutch-boy bob and a pout. I'm a lesbian feminist.here i am sports illustrated Junkett, 33, of Arizona, looked modest in a red polka dot dress and white sweater.
There are many reasons why I suppressed my lifelong desire to become a woman. First of all, it was impossible. My parents would have called a priest and sent me to some convent. And of course the culture wasn't ready.I knew about Christine Jorgensen. [the first person widely known in the US for having gender reassignment therapy] When I was quite young, however, she seemed to be an isolated case. Most of the time, what you encountered were raunchy jokes by Las Vegas comedians and the occasional provocative tabloid article. I kept searching for images and stories of girls like me, but without much success.
Over the years, I have consumed a tremendous amount of material on transgender issues, from clinical research to personal reports, journalistic exposure, and pornography. However, there isn't much porn. It disgusted me. I researched this topic in depth, just like I did for the other books, but I had to keep all my notes in my head.
I immediately got rid of all the materials because I was afraid people would see them. Before browsers allowed anonymous searches, I used to clear the search memory on my computer every day. You may be wondering why I felt the need to go so far. Long story short, my mother regularly raided my room, read my handwriting, and scrutinized every print for possible sexual innuendos. I relayed that warning to my friends, who were also left with the idea that women would be disgusted and repulsed by my transgender identity. Most of them would probably have been sympathetic. where did you get that? This may be because as an only child of orphaned immigrants, I didn't have many female friends until my late teens, and I didn't have any female friends until I was 17.
Needless to say, I was terrible at sex. I didn't know how to act like a man in bed. I wanted to see myself as a woman in the act of love, but I had to suppress that desire while at the same time trying seriously to please my partner (because, at least at first, I almost never slept with someone I didn't love).
I was never attracted to men, but I spent enough time in gay environments in the 70s to convince me of that. During adolescence and beyond, I didn't know how to construct a masculine identity. I hated sports, stupid jokes, chugging beer, and men talking about women. My image of hell was a night with a bunch of guys. Over the years, by necessity, I have come across as saturnine, intelligent, a little aloof, a little wolfish, perhaps “eccentric” and, despite my best intentions, very close to asexual. I created a male persona.
Another reason for my repression was the feeling that if I changed my gender, it would erase everything else I wanted to do in life. I wanted to be an important writer and I didn't want to be pigeonholed into a category. If I were transgender, that fact would be the only thing anyone would know about me. Over the years, transgender people have become increasingly visible in the media, and coverage has become a little less cruel. I lived in New York City, so I saw a lot of transgender people. I had been friends with photographer Nan Goldin for a while, but he never spoke to me, even though I'm sure he would have understood what I was saying.
Sometimes I would hear rumors about this or that person being “dressed up,” and as a result, I became forever uncomfortable in their presence – out of envy, of course. My office in the late '80s and early '90s was located a block away from Tompkins Square Park in the East Village, where I attended Wigstock, the annual Labor Day drag festival. I never looked into it. It was also half a block away from the Pyramid Club, which was the epicenter of New York's drug scene at the time, but I've never been there either. At the time, there was a black menu board on the sidewalk outside the club that read, “Drink and Be Merry.” I shivered every time I passed there.
I was scared to face what I was facing now. I wanted to be a woman with every fiber of my being, and even though that thought was pasted on my windshield, I still trained myself to do it and see through it. Now that the floodgates have opened, I’m falling in love with the idea in a new way. The first time I uploaded a photo to her FaceApp, I felt my core melt into liquid. Now I feel a pillar of fire.
But that shouldn't mean steely determination. The idea of transition is both infinitely fascinating and infinitely frightening. If you take and edit at least one selfie every day, your photos will feel more and more true to life. With a little makeup, some estrogen, and a really nice wig, I could probably look exactly like that. But will the fact that I can't grow my hair make me feel like a fake forever? And he will be 67 years old soon. What if I look grotesque? Or am I just pathetic?
It's a big decision that affects every aspect of my life. As a result, will you accidentally destroy something important in your life? I'm hoping that some situation will force me to migrate. Maybe my therapist is saying it's important for my sanity. Anyway, I'm going to start here by writing it down – something I've never done before – and sending it to a very small number of people I trust and think will understand. My name is Lucy Marie Santé, just one letter added to my dead name. February 26, 2021
Luc Santé before the transition, photographed in New York in 2015. Photo: Courtesy of Lucie Santé.Tim Knox/The Guardian
TThe hat was written in a whirlwind. Every time I think about the chronology, I am amazed again. The first manifestation of her FaceApp occurred on his February 16th. Ten days later, I came out to my therapist, Dr. G, and he didn't blink, just told me he thought transitioning was a logical and good idea. The next evening, after I finished writing the letter, I came out to my partner Mimi, which was the hardest thing
for them to do. And the next day I came out to his son Rafael. The secret fortress I had spent nearly 60 years building and fortifying fell to pieces in a little over a week.
The response was immediate: emails, phone calls, text messages. There was a range, but everyone was kind. Some people said, “It's unexpected, but not surprising,'' “I'm surprised, but not surprising,'' and “It's shocking, but not.'' On the other side, there were several people who reacted as if they had been hit by a train. there was. Other method. They tend to be primarily men who, over the course of years of friendship, have come to think of me as a kind of mirror or double, and that reevaluating me means they need to reevaluate themselves. Did. All of the
people on the “not surprised” side were women, as were the three people who wrote that they had tears of happiness in their eyes after reading my letter.
Of course, I was prepared for some sort of backlash, expressed calmly and thoughtfully, but it never really came, either then or later. Most reactions were, “Yay, go for it, you'll do it.”
Well, as I write this article, I am about to enter my 18th month of hormone replacement therapy. I am legally Lucy, I identify as a woman, and I have feelings for everyone in my life, no matter how far away. I'm completely normal and the same person I've always been, but I'm also a completely different person. I feel more socially secure than ever before. I've gotten a lot of stares, but I've never felt any aggression. Because I'm not a threat. I'm old, white, and reasonably privileged.
I can honestly say I have never been happier. The shadow of me that once hid under the floorboards has finally taken up residence within myself. In fact, I feel free from the neuroses that have been bothering me all this time. Of course, you can and will get sad for a variety of reasons, but at least depression has been avoided for now. Of course, I wish I could have transitioned in my teens, twenties, or at an earlier age than I did, but in return I was left in peace and able to embrace my changes within the life I had already constructed. It has survived all eras. censorious
elders. I really like myself the way I am. I turned out better than I ever imagined, better than I feared.
I am more aware of others and find it much easier to take out emotional issues on others. In various situations, I often experience a kind of calmness, a general sense of correctness about the world. I no longer hate myself or feel sorry for who I am. I walk with pride. Thank you for using whatever force you had to crack my egg before it was too late. I was saved from drowning.
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