Latest news with #Gross
The Hindu
15 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
After Scale AI, Meta is going after OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever's startup Safe Superintelligence
Meta is on AI overdrive. After steadily losing talent to rivals and a faulty product launch during its developer event, Llamacon, in May, the social media giant is desperately trying to stay in the AI race. Its plan: if you can't build internally, then go shopping. Last week (June 10), Meta agreed to pick 49% stake in data-labelling firm Scale AI — a deal that brought the company's founder Alexandr Wang under Meta's fold. Now, per media reports, the social network is looking to bolster Mr. Wangs' team. After its failed attempt to buy OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever's startup Safe Superintelligence Inc earlier this year, Meta has opened communication channels with SSI CEO Daniel Gross and ex-Github CEO Nat Friedman. It must be noted that both — Mr. Gross and Mr. Friedman — run a venture fund called NFDG. Per media reports, the duo is expected to join Meta and report to Mr. Wang — Meta's superintelligence department chief. Meta will also own a portion of NFDG under the terms. Neither Mr. Gross nor Mr. Friedman have confirmed or denied talks with Meta. Apart from this, Meta has also attempted poaching OpenAI's AI researchers by offering some even upto $100 million as joining bonus Mr. Sutskever's startup SSI, per an April funding round, was valued at $32 billion. The firm was established by the Canadian computer scientist after he quit OpenAI over alignment issues.
CNBC
a day ago
- Business
- CNBC
Meta tried to buy Ilya Sutskever's $32 billion AI startup, but is now planning to hire its CEO
When Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg poached Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang last week as part of a $14.3 billion investment in the artificial intelligence startup, he was apparently just getting started. Zuckerberg's multibillion-dollar AI hiring spree has now turned to Daniel Gross, the CEO of Ilya Sutskever's startup Safe Superintelligence, and former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman, according to sources with knowledge of the matter. It's not how Zuckerberg planned for a deal to go down. Earlier this year, sources said, Meta tried to acquire Safe Superintelligence, which was reportedly valued at $32 billion in a fundraising round in April. Sutskever, who just launched the startup a year ago, shortly after leaving OpenAI, rebuffed Meta's efforts, as well as the company's attempt to hire him, said the sources, who asked not to be named because the information is confidential. Soon after those talks ended, Zuckerberg started negotiating with Gross, the sources said. In addition to his role at Safe Superintelligence, Gross runs a venture capital firm with Friedman called NFDG, their combined initials. Both men are joining Meta as part of the transaction, and will work on products under Wang, one source said. Meta, meanwhile, will get a stake in NFDG, according to multiple sources. The Information was first to report on Meta's plans to hire Gross and Friedman. Gross, Friedman and Sutskever didn't respond to CNBC's requests for comment. A Meta spokesperson said the company "will share more about our superintelligence effort and the great people joining this team in the coming weeks." Zuckerberg's aggressive hiring tactics escalate an AI talent war that's reached new heights of late. Meta, Google and OpenAI, along with a host of other big companies and high-valued startups, are racing to develop the most powerful large language models, and pushing towards artificial general intelligence (AGI), or AI that's considered equal to or greater than human intelligence. Last week, Meta agreed to pump $14.3 billion into Scale AI to bring on Wang and a few other top engineers while getting a 49% stake in the startup. Altman said on the latest episode of the "Uncapped" podcast, which is hosted by his brother, that Meta has tried to lure OpenAI employees by offering signing bonuses as high as $100 million, with even larger annual compensation packages. Altman said "none of our best people have decided to take them up on that." "I've heard that Meta thinks of us as their biggest competitor," Atlman said on the podcast. "Their current AI efforts have not worked as well as they have hoped and I respect being aggressive and continuing to try new things." Meta didn't respond to a request for comment on Altman's remarks. OpenAI, for its part, has gone to similar lengths, paying about $6.5 billion to hire iPhone designer Jony Ive and to acquire his nascent devices startup io. Elsewhere, the founders of AI startup were recruited back to Google last year in a multibillion-dollar deal, while DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman was brought on by Microsoft in a $650 million purchase of talent from Inflection AI. In Gross, Zuckerberg is getting a longtime entrepreneur and AI investor. Gross founded the search engine Cue, which was acquired by Apple in 2013. He was a top executive at Apple and helped lead machine learning efforts and the development of Siri. He was later a partner at startup accelerator Y Combinator, before co‑founding Safe Superintelligence alongside Sutskever. Friedman co-founded two startups before becoming the CEO of GitHub following Microsoft's acquisition of the code-sharing platform in 2018. NFDG has backed Coinbase, Figma, CoreWeave, Perplexity and over the years, according to Pitchbook. It's unclear what happens to its investment portfolio in a Meta deal, a source said.
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Port Colborne has $1.87B in assets. Here's its plan to manage them
With more than $1.8 billion in infrastructure to manage, Port Colborne is sharpening its approach to long-term planning. At its May 27 council meeting, the city formally adopted its updated 2025 Asset Management Plan. The plan helps to break down the condition, replacement needs and strategic direction for everything from roads and sewers to IT systems and public buildings. The plan, presented by Jen Gross, senior project manager and asset management practice lead for GEI Consultants, builds on previous versions by setting service targets and incorporating more detailed condition assessments for infrastructure. 'The focus of this plan has been an update to the 2024 plan to now include targets for that level of service,' she said. While last year's version captured the state of the city's core and non-core assets, this year's update goes a step further by proposing targets for performance and delivery of those same assets. The plan covers nine categories of assets: core systems like water, wastewater, stormwater and roads, and non-core assets such as parks, fleet, facilities, IT, natural assets and the city library. Together, they're valued at $1.87 billion. Transportation infrastructure makes up the largest portion of that total, followed by stormwater, water and wastewater systems, according to data presented by Gross. A major update this year stems from gathered condition data. Over the past 12 to 18 months, the city has completed video inspections of each storm pipe in its network and continued relining work on its sanitary system. That investment in data collection is already paying off. 'Relining a pipe (means) making it in very good condition,' said Gross. 'That has been reflected in this year's numbers.' She added having accurate condition data, not just relying on age, helped to reclassify several assets from poor or unknown condition status to good or very good condition. The long-term plan outlines a 20-year forecast that includes both anticipated spending and current gaps. A visual breakdown in the plan shows the proportion of assets in 'very poor' condition in 2024 versus projections for 2045. 'If we follow this plan, you will see the impact to the overall condition of your assets,' Gross explained. The goal is to reduce the number of assets in failing condition while maintaining those in good standing. To do that, the city would have to spend more in the short term. Gross confirmed the 2025 budget reflects an increased investment in capital renewal, including funds to tackle issues in the stormwater and water systems. 'In 2025, there's a big portion of that budget going toward your renewal and replacement backlog, things that should have already been done,' she said. Several councillors asked whether past performance could be added in future reports to better track progress year over year. 'It'd be nice to be able to see how those have changed over the years,' said Ward 2 Coun. Eric Beauregard. 'For example, Port Colborne has had a lot of issues with wastewater and water.' Gross reassured him that future annual updates would include those metrics. 'That will allow you to see how you're improving over time,' she said. Ward 3 Coun. Gary Bruno emphasized the importance of real-time updates and asked whether the city could continuously track asset work as it happens. 'Isn't the plan just a living document?' he asked. Supervisor of asset management for the city Alex Rotundo confirmed the city's internal processes are adapting. 'This report might be a snapshot of a moment in time, but the activity of asset management is something that is continually going on,' he said. 'It's something we intend to keep current as time progresses.' The plan also flags gaps in IT infrastructure. Coun. Bruno raised concerns that these types of deficits, though smaller in dollar value, can carry major operational risks. 'It's not an area where you want to be attacked on,' he said. 'How does one delve into that?' CAO Brian Boles said direction from council, formal or informal, would help to prioritize areas like IT within future budgets. 'A very poor standing in IT is not something we want to see,' he said. 'We can work with the (city) clerk to make sure we have that disseminated and keep moving forward.' Boles, speaking remotely, said new investments in core IT systems such as GIS, HR, tax and billing platforms would help shift those ratings into better standing in future years. 'You'll see some of this legacy stuff disappear,' he said. 'You're going to start to see this become a much better, greener pasture.' Ward 1 Coun. Mark Bagu welcomed that update, noting it gives Port Colborne a competitive edge. 'This report would give our municipality a great kick up, it shows we are improving our asset management plan,' he said. 'I think we're doing a better job than a lot of municipalities in Niagara.' Council approved the motion directing staff to continue tracking annual performance and infrastructure condition as part of its ongoing update cycle. 'We want to make sure that you know this information is continually being updated,' said Gross. 'We're still trying to find new ways and different strategies to bring down what those needs are so that they are more affordable for the community.' Mayor Bill Steele said the plan will play a role in shaping annual budget decisions. 'It gives us a good path,' he said. 'We want each department to come forward with what the asset management plan tells them, and then it's up to us to make those tough decisions.' With councils endorsement, Port Colborne has until 2026 to begin annual progress reporting, though staff made it clear the work of asset management will remain year-round. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
New coating forms strong, lasting rust barrier for iron with 99.6% efficiency
A new dual-layer coating has been developed that offers 99.6% protection against iron corrosion. Iron gives modern infrastructure strength, from soaring skyscrapers to vital bridges. However, a persistent, unseen foe is always at play, eroding its strength: rust. Iron corrodes when exposed to air and moisture, causing structural damage, safety risks, and extremely high maintenance costs. Current protective solutions are often inadequate, providing only temporary defense against this persistent problem. The researchers from Hebrew University of Jerusalem focused on developing a strong, durable shield for iron that would protect it for decades. "This discovery offers a major leap forward in protecting iron from corrosion," said Professor Elad Gross, who led the development. "By using a specially designed primer, we created a coating that is not only highly effective but also long-lasting. This could reduce maintenance costs, extend the lifespan of iron-based materials, and provide industries with a much more reliable solution," Gross added. Metals naturally corrode over time, but the rate for each differs. Iron is known to rust quickly, but gold and silver can resist deterioration for decades or centuries. A study conducted some time ago indicated that the global expense of corrosion amounted to a whopping US$2.5 trillion. Though protective coatings are available, many frequently break down, failing to provide lasting protection. This development features a dual-layer coating: a thin molecular primer paired with a tough polymer layer. Overall, it creates a durable, long-lasting barrier against rust. The coating development follows a two-pronged approach. First, an ultra-thin molecular primer made of N-Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) forms an incredibly tight, chemical bond directly with the iron surface. Acting as the ultimate bond, this primer ensures the tough polymer layer adheres strongly, creating an unbreakable protective barrier. The coating remains intact, even in the harshest conditions, like excessive and prolonged exposure to highly corrosive saltwater. Under rigorous testing, the dual-layer coating proved remarkably effective at reducing corrosion. Moreover, thanks to this strong connection, the coating is tougher than standard options that tend to wear down or flake off. The coating, if widely adopted, promises to increase the durability of iron-based products in construction, transportation, and manufacturing. It could reduce maintenance costs for bridges, pipelines, and ships. 'By reducing the need for frequent repairs and replacements, this coating could also contribute to more sustainable and cost-effective material use,' the researchers noted. A recent report indicates that the 'corrosion inhibitor market' is valued at $8.93 billion and is predicted to grow by 3.6% annually between 2025 and 2030. Earlier, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) - Bombay developed a novel technique to measure the degradation rate of protective coatings on iron. Reportedly, the team used the combination of hydrogen permeation-based potentiometry (HPP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). This technique could lead to precise measurement of degradation right where the organic coating meets the metal. The new findings were published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ex hostage Liri Albag eulogizes former classmate killed soldier St. Sgt. Raver
St.-Sgt. Raver, 19, from Sde Warburg, served in the IDF's elite Yahalom unit. Former hostage Liri Albag eulogized killed soldier and former classmate St.-Sgt. Yoav Raver in an Instagram story on Friday, after his death was announced along with the deaths of three other soldiers who were all killed in the same incident in Khan Yunis. "Yoav was in my class. He's someone who does everything calmly and quietly. He always respects everyone and makes those around him feel at ease," Albag said. The four soldiers were killed when a bomb detonated, causing a building to collapse on the troops. Five soldiers were wounded in the same incident, one severely. "Yoav was the son of Lior and Gili Raver and the brother of Tamar and Omri, a graduate of Ami Asaf Educational Center. Our hearts are broken," the Drom Hasharon Regional Council said in a Facebook statement. Warr. Ofc. Gross, 33, from Gan Yoshiya, was named as another soldier killed in the explosion. The names of the two other killed soldiers were not cleared for publication. The Emek Hefer Regional Council grieved Gross's death. "Chen was the son of Irit and Adi and the brother of Mor and Raz, a graduate of Ma'ayan Regional High School in Emek Hefer. We embrace the family, friends, and residents of Gan Yoshiya with immense sorrow." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it "a sad and difficult day," stating, "On behalf of all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I send our deepest condolences to the families of our four heroic fighters who fell in Gaza in the campaign to defeat Hamas and return our hostages." Defense Minister Israel Katz expressed his hopes for the wounded soldiers' recovery and posted on X/Twitter, "There are no words that can comfort the magnitude of the loss." He added that the soldiers acted "with strength and determination against a cruel enemy, for the security of our citizens and for the release of the kidnapped." President Isaac Herzog underscored the national pain. "The cost of war is extremely heavy. This is a time of great sorrow — but also of great commitment: To stand behind the generation of heroic warriors, to embrace the families of the fallen, and to ensure that their names and heroism are never forgotten. An entire nation is overwhelmed with grief." Opposition leader and Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid remarked, "Every Shabbat table in Israel will be quieter and sadder tonight." He extended condolences to the families of Raver and Gross, "the heroes of Israel who fell in the incident in Gaza," and wished a swift recovery to the wounded. Former prime minister Naftali Bennett acknowledged the devastation for the bereaved families. "The people of Israel grieve with you and surround you with all their love. The boys fell in action in the heart of Khan Yunis against Hamas murderers. How sad. How painful." National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir also offered his condolences and wrote in a Facebook post that he is "praying together with all the people of Israel for the recovery of the wounded." Just before Shabbat, Likud MK and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana expressed his condolences to the friends and families of those killed. Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Yariv Levin called the news unbearable. "I send my heartfelt condolences to the families of Warr. Ofc. Chen Gross, St.-Sgt. Yoav Raver, and the two other fighters whose names have not yet been released, and I wish a swift recovery to the soldiers wounded in the same incident.' Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen added, 'I send my condolences to the families who lost their most precious loved ones defending the country, and wish a speedy recovery to the soldiers wounded in this difficult incident." Echoing the grief felt nationwide, Economy and Industry Minister Nir Barkat reflected, 'They went to fight for the country they loved so much, courageously battling on the frontlines against a cruel enemy for the security of us all." Democrats MKs, Naama Lazimi and Gilad Kariv, also sent condolences to the family and friends of the killed soldiers, noting the significance of their loss to them.
