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OpenAI has announced significant changes to its safety and security practices, including the establishment of a new independent board oversight committee. This move comes with a notable shift: CEO Sam Altman is no longer part of the safety committee, marking a departure from the previous structure. The newly formed Safety and Security Committee (SSC) will be chaired by Zico Kolter, Director of the Machine Learning Department at Carnegie Mellon University. Other key members include Quora CEO Adam D'Angelo, retired US Army General Paul Nakasone, and Nicole Seligman, former EVP and General Counsel of Sony Corporation. This new committee replaces the previous Safety and Security Committee that was formed in June 2024, which included Altman among its members. The original committee was tasked with making recommendations on critical safety and security decisions for OpenAI projects and operations. The SSC's responsibilities now extend beyond recommendations. It will have the authority to oversee safety evaluations for major model releases and exercise oversight over model launches. Crucially, the committee will have the power to delay a release until safety concerns are adequately addressed. This restructuring follows a period of scrutiny regarding OpenAI's commitment to AI safety. The company has faced criticism in the past for disbanding its Superalignment team and the departures of key safety-focused personnel. The removal of Altman from the safety committee appears to be an attempt to address concerns about potential conflicts of interest in the company's safety oversight. OpenAI's latest safety initiative also includes plans to enhance security measures, increase transparency about their work, and collaborate with external organizations. The company has already reached agreements with the US and UK AI Safety Institutes to collaborate on researching emerging AI safety risks and standards for trustworthy AI. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-new-safety-board-has-more-power-and-no-sam-altman-230113547.html?src=rss
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Hundreds of Amazon drivers in New York City have joined the Teamsters union in the hope of obtaining better pay and working conditions. The union says a majority of drivers at each of three delivery service partners (DSPs) working out of a Queens warehouse have signed authorization cards. According to a Teamsters press release, the drivers have been organizing for a year to secure fair pay, consistent schedules, reasonable workloads and proper pay maintained trucks. They walked off the job last December as part of a nationwide protest against Amazons alleged unfair labor practices and union-busting efforts. At least on paper, joining the union should give the drivers more leverage as they push Amazon for better working conditions. But that doesnt necessarily mean the company will play ball. The Amazon Labor Union, one of the first major successful organization efforts within the company in the US, has yet to secure a union contract, two years after forming. The group became a Teamsters affiliate this summer. However, the union has found some success on behalf of Amazon workers. Last month, a regional National Labor Relations Board director determined that Amazon is a joint employer of some third-party drivers in Palmdale, California. The Teamsters hope that finding will set a precedent for the rest for DSP drivers elsewhere. The Queens drivers are the first Amazon workers to organize with the Teamsters following that decision.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/hundreds-of-amazon-drivers-in-nyc-join-the-teamsters-union-202758685.html?src=rss
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Mitch Lowe, one of two MoviePass leaders indicted by the Justice Department in 2022, has pleaded guilty to securities fraud charges. The former CEO admitted to conspiring to deceive the public and investors about the services sustainability. Variety reports that the details of Lowes plea agreement havent been made public. Prosecutors claim Lowe knew from the start that the companys $9.95 unlimited plan was a short-term gimmick to attract subscribers and inflate stock. Hes also accused of making false statements in press releases, interviews and SEC filings about MoviePass long-term viability. Those statements included allegedly lying about the companys ability to become profitable on subscription fees alone and having tech that could generate revenue from customer data. He also claimed MoviePass was profiting from multiple revenue streams despite not having any income beyond subscriptions. Prosecutors also accused Lowe and Ted Farnsworth, former CEO of MoviePass parent company Helios and Matheson, of preventing subscribers from getting what was promised from the unlimited subscription. The company settled with the FTC in 2021 over allegations that it intentionally invalidated subscriber passwords to freeze their accounts, blocking their ability to get the movie tickets the service promised. MoviePass and its parent company declared bankruptcy in 2020. Although no sentencing date has been set, Lowe is free on bond and has a status conference court date scheduled in Miami for March 2025. The 72-year-old former executive faces a maximum of five years in federal prison. Mitch is a good man who is looking to move forward with his life, Lowes attorneys, Margot Moss and David Oscar Markus, said in a statement to Variety. He has accepted responsibility for his actions in this case and will continue to try to make things right. Meanwhile, Farnsworth is still in custody. He was initially freed on a $1 million bond that was revoked in August 2023 after the feds accused him of misusing nearly $300,000 in company funds. Farnsworth's former boyfriend, who he met on an escort site, was paid $147,000, and received a Cadillac worth $144,000; after the pair split up, the feds say he falsely accused his ex of stealing the vehicle.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/former-moviepass-ceo-reportedly-pleads-guilty-to-securities-fraud-201131284.html?src=rss
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