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IDEX Corp. stock underperforms Friday when compared to competitors despite daily gainsM ore than 300 million people use OpenAI’s ChatGPT each week, a testament to the technology’s appeal. This month, the company unveiled a “ pro mode ” for its new “o1” AI system, offering human-level reasoning — for 10 times the current $20 monthly subscription fee. One of its advanced behaviours appears to be self-preservation . In testing, when the system was led to believe it would be shut down, it attempted to disable an oversight mechanism. When “o1” found memos about its replacement, it tried copying itself and overwriting its core code. Creepy? Absolutely. More realistically, the move probably reflects the system’s programming to optimise outcomes rather than demonstrating intentions or awareness. The idea of creating intelligent machines induces feelings of unease. In computing this is the gorilla problem : 7m years ago, a now-extinct primate evolved, with one branch leading to gorillas and one to humans. The concern is that just as gorillas lost control over their fate to humans, humans might lose control to superintelligent AI. It is not obvious that we can control machines that are smarter than us. Why have such things come to pass? AI giants such as OpenAI and Google reportedly face computational limits: scaling models no longer guarantees smarter AI. With limited data, bigger isn’t better. The fix? Human feedback on reasoning. A 2023 paper by OpenAI’s former chief scientist found that this method solved 78% of tough maths problems, compared with 70% when using a technique where humans don’t help. OpenAI is using such techniques in its new “o1” system, which the company thinks will solve the current limits to growth. Computer scientist Subbarao Kambhampati told the Atlantic that this development was akin to an AI system playing a million chess games to learn optimal strategies. However, a team at Yale which tested the “o1” system published a paper which suggested that making a language model better at reasoning helps - but it does not completely eliminate the effects of its original design as simply a clever predictor of words. If aliens landed and gifted humanity a superintelligent AI black box, then it would be wise to exercise caution in opening it. But humans design today’s AI systems. If they do end up appearing to be manipulative, it would be the result of a design failure. Relying on a machine whose operations we cannot control requires it to be programmed so that it truly aligns with human desires and wishes. But how realistic is that? In many cultures there are stories of humans asking the gods for divine powers. These tales of hubris often end in regret, as wishes are granted too literally, leading to unforeseen consequences. Often, a third and final wish is used to undo the first two. Such a predicament was faced by King Midas , the legendary Greek king who wished for everything he touched to turn to gold, only to despair when his food, drink and loved ones met the same fate. The problem for AI is that we want machines that strive to achieve human objectives but know that the software does not know for certain exactly what those objectives are. Clearly, unchecked ambition leads to regret. Controlling unpredictable superintelligent AI requires rethinking what AI should be. This leading article was not filed on the days on which NUJ members in the UK were on strike.
Michelle Grattan: The cost rules in the nuclear debateWhy Trump won~I
Pentair PLC stock underperforms Friday when compared to competitors despite daily gainsZURICH — Saudi Arabia was officially confirmed Wednesday by FIFA as host of the 2034 World Cup in men's soccer, giving the oil-rich kingdom its biggest prize yet for massive spending on global sports driven by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Saudi bid was the only candidate and was acclaimed by the applause of more than 200 FIFA member federations. They took part remotely in an online meeting hosted in Zurich by the soccer body's president Gianni Infantino. "The vote of the congress is loud and clear," said Infantino, who had asked officials on a bank of screens to clap their hands at head level to show their support. The decision was combined with approving the only candidate to host the 2030 World Cup. Spain, Portugal and Morocco will co-host in a six-nation project, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay each getting one of the 104 games. The South American connection will mark the centenary of Uruguay hosting the first World Cup in 1930. The decisions complete a mostly opaque 15-month bid process which Infantino helped steer toward Saudi Arabia without a rival candidate, without taking questions, and which human rights groups warn will put the lives of migrant workers at risk. "We look forward to hosting an exceptional and unprecedented edition of the FIFA World Cup by harnessing our strengths and capabilities to bring joy to football fans around the world," Prince Mohammed said in a statement. FIFA and Saudi officials have said hosting the 2034 tournament can accelerate change, including more freedoms and rights for women, with Infantino on Wednesday calling the World Cup a "unique catalyst for positive social change and unity." "I fully trust our hosts to address all open points in this process, and deliver a World Cup that meets the world's expectations," the FIFA president said. An international collective of rights groups said FIFA made a "reckless decision" to approve Saudi Arabia without getting public assurances, and the Football Supporters Europe group said it was "the day football truly lost its mind." A fast-track path to victory was cleared last year by FIFA accepting the three-continent hosting plan for the 2030 World Cup. It meant only soccer federations in Asia and Oceania were eligible for the 2034 contest, and FIFA gave countries less than four weeks to declare a bid. Only Saudi Arabia did. The win will kick off a decade of scrutiny on Saudi labor laws and treatment of workers mostly from South Asia needed to help build and upgrade 15 stadiums, plus hotels and transport networks ahead of the 104-game tournament. Amnesty International said awarding the tournament to Saudi Arabia represents "a moment of great danger" for human rights. "FIFA's reckless decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia without ensuring adequate human rights protections are in place will put many lives at risk," said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International's Head of Labor Rights and Sport." One of the stadiums is planned to be 350 meters (yards) above the ground in Neom — a futuristic city that does not yet exist — and another named for the crown prince is designed to be atop a 200-meter cliff near Riyadh. During the bid campaign, FIFA has accepted limited scrutiny of Saudi Arabia's human rights record that was widely criticized this year at the United Nations. Saudi and international rights groups and activists warned FIFA it has not learned the lessons of Qatar's much-criticized preparations to host the 2022 World Cup. "At every stage of this bidding process, FIFA has shown its commitment to human rights to be a sham," Cockburn said. The kingdom plans to spend tens of billion of dollars on projects related to the World Cup as part of the crown prince's sweeping Vision 2030 project that aims to modernize Saudi society and economy. At its core is spending on sports by the $900 billion sovereign wealth operation, the Public Investment Fund, which he oversees. "It's amazing. The infrastructure, the stadiums, the conditions for the fans and everything. After what I see, I'm more convinced that 2034 will be the best World Cup ever," Cristiano Ronaldo said in a recorded package posted on X. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has been part of Saudi Arabia's lavish spending on soccer — stunning the sport when agreeing to sign for Al Nassr in 2022 for a record-breaking salary reportedly worth up to $200 million a year. Critics have accused Saudi Arabia of "sportswashing" the kingdom's reputation. The prince, known as MBS, has built close working ties to Infantino since 2017 — aligning with the organizer of sport's most-watched event rather than directly confronting the established system as it did with the disruptive LIV Golf project. The result for Saudi Arabia and FIFA has been smooth progress toward the win Wednesday with limited pushback from soccer officials, though some from women international players. The steady flow of Saudi cash into international soccer is set to increase. FIFA created a new and higher World Cup sponsor category for state oil firm Aramco, and Saudi funding is set to underwrite the 2025 Club World Cup in the United States that is a pet project for Infantino. North American soccer body CONCACAF signed a multi-year deal with PIF, Saudi stadiums host Super Cup games for Italy and Spain, and nearly 50 FIFA member federations have signed working agreements with Saudi counterparts. Lavish spending by PIF-owned Saudi clubs in the past two years buying and paying players – including Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mané – put hundreds of millions of dollars into European soccer. That influence could be key in talks to agree which months to play the 2034 World Cup. The November-December slot taken by Qatar in 2022 to avoid extreme midsummer heat is complicated in 2034 by the holy month of Ramadan through mid-December and Riyadh hosting the multi-sport Asian Games. Still, January 2034 could be an option — and likely better for European clubs and leagues —after the International Olympic Committee said it saw few issues in clashing with the Salt Lake Winter Games opening Feb. 10, 2034. The IOC also has a major commercial deal with Saudi Arabia, to host the new Esports Olympics. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss Sunday's game against the Packers with a sore throwing shoulder.
Until recently, the Mount Washington Observatory had about 17 remote weather monitoring stations. At the end of a four-year expansion, it’ll have more than 50, said its executive director. Those expanded data points will help a variety of constituents across sectors spanning from climate science to outdoor recreation. The first leg of the expansion — which came in November in the form of five new automated stations along the Cog Railway on the west side of Mount Washington — paves the way to improved weather forecasts. “It’ll just make our ability to give accurate forecasts so very much enhanced,” said Drew Bush, the executive director of the observatory. “... When you look at storm tracks for our region, most storms are coming from the west, and our observation team on the summit of Mount Washington has been asking for this data for years.” These stations — with locations around Mount Washington and other spots in the White Mountains — collect data on temperature, precipitation, wind speed, relative humidity, and more, which is available to the public online. They’re part of the Mount Washington Regional Mesonet, which the observatory describes as “a network of automated stations in and around the White Mountains that continuously collect weather data.” This provides valuable information to researchers and meteorologists, including the National Weather Service. Stations vary, but the majority are tripods that stand about 10 feet tall, Bush said. Most are equipped with solar panels, due to their remote locations, though a few can plug directly into the electrical grid, he said. Sometimes snow can cover solar panels and cause delays, but if the stations have power, they transmit data in real time, Bush said. Federal money has facilitated this expansion, which will also include modernizing 11 existing stations, Bush said. One of those funding sources is a Northern Border Regional Commission Catalyst Grant. Other funds come from a request appropriated by Congress, an effort Bush said was spearheaded by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. The enhanced forecasting abilities will help the observatory better inform hikers, skiers, and other visitors to the White Mountains of the weather conditions, Bush said. It will also assist search-and-rescue teams. “There’s, I think, just a huge amount of desire from the community to have this data,” Bush said. “... I think just from a very basic level, to try to really help people stay safe when they’re here as guests and visitors and they’re recreating outdoors.” People have observed the weather from Mount Washington for more than 150 years, according to a history of the observatory by its curator Dr. Peter Crane. Its extreme weather — which can feature sub-zero temperatures, snow, and strong winds — has attracted researchers and visitors to New England’s highest peak. The stations can pay a price for their observations, with the harsh weather sometimes damaging equipment. “Pretty much every year” they make repairs at stations or update their technology, Bush said. “It’s an iterative process,” Bush said, “so we’re always looking to improve them, to make sure that they can really survive the elements, you know, to make sure we have sort of the latest, most cutting-edge technology for them.” Part of the observatory’s role is developing technology for weather stations. As part of work with a professor who is a National Geographic Explorer, for instance, a piece of the observatory’s technology is on Mount Everest tracking wind speeds, Bush said. Closer to home, decades of weather observations make Mount Washington a valuable tool for viewing how Earth’s climate has changed in recent decades. Researchers, using data from sites across the White Mountains, have found warming air temperatures, wetter summers, an increase in heavy precipitation events, and a loss in snow, according to a fact sheet from the observatory and partners. This expansion will help establish a more comprehensive history of the White Mountains’ climate and a closer look at how it’s changing. “Looking forward into the future, it really allows us to establish this much more detailed record,” Bush said.Retailers anticipating big Cyber Monday after record Black Friday sales
Optex Systems Announces $6.5 Million Order for Laser Protected Periscopes
Gisèle Benoit still gets goosebumps when she remembers the first time she saw a family of eastern wolves emerge from the forests of the Mauricie National Park, under the backdrop of a rising moon. It was 1984 and Benoit, then in her early 20s, had been using a horn to try to call a bull moose when she instead heard a long howl, followed by an adult wolf stepping out to a rocky shore accompanied by a half-grown youth and four pups. “I will never forget that,” she said of the magical moment. “It’s anchored in my heart forever.” It was only later that Benoit, an artist and documentary filmmaker, learned that the wolves she saw weren’t grey wolves but rather rare eastern wolves. The species, whose population is estimated at fewer than 1,000 mature adults, could soon be further protected by new measures that are raising hopes among conservationists that attitudes toward a once-feared and maligned animal are shifting. In July, the federal government upgraded the eastern wolf’s threat level from “status of special concern” to “threatened,” based on a 2015 report by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. That report found the population count may be as low as 236 mature individuals in its central Ontario and southern Quebec habitat. The eastern wolf is described as medium-sized canid with reddish-tawny fur that lives in family groups of a breeding pair and their offspring. Also known as the Algonquin wolf, it is largely restricted to existing protected areas, including Algonquin Park in Ontario. The federal Environment Department said in an email that development of a recovery strategy is underway, adding it would be “written in collaboration with provincial governments, federal departments responsible for the federal lands where the eastern wolf is found as well as First Nations groups and Indigenous organizations.” The order triggers protection for the species on federal lands and forces Ottawa to prepare a recovery plan. However, the fight for protection could be an uphill battle in Quebec, which does not even recognize the eastern wolf as a distinct species. A spokesperson for Quebec’s Environment Department said Quebec considers the eastern wolf a “genetic group” rather than its own species. “Recent study shows that the eastern wolf is a distinct entity, even if it comes from several crosses between the grey wolf and the coyote,” Daniel Labonté wrote in an email. “However, scientific knowledge does not demonstrate that this genetic grouping constitutes a species in its own right.” Labonté added that this lack of recognition was not a barrier to protecting the animal, since the law also allows for protection of subspecies or wildlife populations. In October, Quebec launched a program to collect samples to improve knowledge on the distribution of large canines, including the eastern wolf. The government said it is currently “impossible to assert that there is an established population” in Quebec due to low numbers — amounting to three per cent of analyzed samples — and the “strong hybridization that exists among large canids.” Véronique Armstrong, co-founder of a Quebec wildlife protection association, says she’s feeling positive about both the Canadian and Quebec governments’ attitudes. While wolves were once “stigmatized, even persecuted,” she said, “we seem to be heading in the direction of more protection.” Her group, the Association québécoise pour la protection et l’observation de la faune, has submitted a proposal for a conservation area to protect southern Quebec wolves that has already received signs of support from three of the regional municipalities that would be covered, she said. While it’s far from settled, she’s hopeful that the battle to protect wolves might be easier than for some other species, such as caribou, because the wolves are adaptable and can tolerate some human activity, including forestry. John Theberge, a retired professor of ecology and conservation biology from the University of Waterloo and a wolf researcher, spent several years along with his wife studying and radio-collaring eastern wolves around Algonquin Park. Back in the 1990s and 2000s, they faced a “huge political battle” to try to expand wolf protection outside park boundaries after realizing that the far-ranging animals were being hunted and trapped in large numbers once they left the protected lands. Conservationists, he said, faced resistance from powerful hunter and trapper lobbies opposed to protecting the animals but in the end succeeded in permanently closing the zones outside the park to hunting and trapping in 2004. Theberge says people who want to save wolves today still face some of that same opposition — especially when governments including Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia kill wolves to protect endangered caribou. But he believes the public support for protecting wolves has increased from when his career began in the 1960s, when they were treated with fear and suspicion. “Nobody wore T-shirts with wolves on them back then,” he said. Over the years, there have been questions about whether the eastern wolf may be a grey wolf subspecies or a coyote-wolf hybrid. But in the order protecting the wolves, the federal government says genetic analyses have resolved that debate, showing that it is a “distinct species.” Benoit, Theberge and Armstrong all believe that while it’s important to protect the eastern wolf from a genetic diversity perspective, there is value in protecting all wolves, regardless of their DNA. Wolves, they say, are an umbrella species, meaning that protecting them helps protect a variety of other species. They kill off weak and sick animals, ensuring strong populations. They’re also “highly developed, sentient social species, with a division of labour, and strong family alliances,” Theberge said. Benoit agrees. After years spent watching wolves, she has developed great respect for how they live in close-knit families, with older offspring helping raise new pups. “It’s extraordinary to see how their way of life is a little like humans’,” she said.Coming off what was likely a week's worth of intense practices, No. 10 Kansas returns home for a matchup with North Carolina State on Saturday afternoon in Lawrence, Kan. The Jayhawks (7-2) lost back-to-back games versus unranked opponents, the first time in school history that they have done that while ranked No. 1. Now they have to regroup to face the Wolfpack (7-3). Kansas lost its first two games of the season emphatically: 76-63 at Creighton on Dec. 4 and 76-67 at Missouri last Sunday. Coach Bill Self, who has only lost three straight games four times in his 21-year career at Kansas, was pretty succinct about his team's play following the loss to Missouri. "I think it was probably a combination of them being good and us not being good," he said. "I don't know that I could give them 100 percent credit, but that's what happens in sports. When the other team is doing things to hurt you, and you don't attack it well, they guard you the same way. "A lot of times you just roll it straight because of just not being as prepared or ready. I think it was a combination of both. I would err on the side of giving them more credit, because if I just say we sucked, that would take credit from them. We did suck, but it was in large part them." The Jayhawks still have a balanced and experienced attack, led by seniors Hunter Dickinson (15.0 points per game), Zeke Mayo (10.9), Dajuan Harris Jr. (10.7) and KJ Adams Jr. (9.8). Their biggest problem against Missouri was the 22 turnovers. "It's been a crap week for all of us," Self said on his weekly radio show Tuesday. "But hopefully we get an opportunity to bounce back. "I'm not going to make any excuses. If you don't perform the way we didn't perform, there certainly can be some valuable things to learn from that hopefully will give us a chance to win the war and not just the battle." NC State has won back-to-back games, including the ACC opener against Florida State on Dec. 7. In their last game, the Wolfpack handled Coppin State 66-56 on Tuesday. That's not to say NC State coach Kevin Keatts was impressed. "I thought we did a terrible job at the end of shot clocks when they were going to take a bunch of bad shots but we fouled them," Keatts said. "That being said, you can learn a lot from a win instead of a loss. "We compete hard every day, and our energy is always high. With this group, I'm trying to get everyone to be consistent." The Wolfpack has a trio of double-digit scorers, led by Marcus Hill (13.0 ppg). Jayden Taylor adds 12.5 and Dontrez Styles chips in 10.6. Ben Middlebrooks (9.2) and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (8.7) round out the top five. Huntley-Hatfield (5.6 rebounds per game) and Styles (4.6) also lead a balanced rebounding attack. The Jayhawks have won 12 straight games in the series with North Carolina State. --Field Level MediaThe best touchless trash cans for modern, mess-free living
Elon Musk has made history by becoming the first individual to achieve a net worth of $400 billion. This milestone was reached after significant financial gains, including an insider share sale at SpaceX and the favorable impact of recent political events in the U.S., particularly the election of Donald Trump. Musk’s rise to this extraordinary level of wealth was further bolstered by the performance of Tesla's stock and his business ventures in artificial intelligence (AI), making him the wealthiest person in the world by a significant margin. Elon Musk’s net worth hits $400 billion due to SpaceX Insider share sale boost According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Musk’s net worth surged by approximately $50 billion following an insider share sale at SpaceX. This deal involved SpaceX selling shares to its employees and investors, which pushed the company’s valuation to an impressive $350 billion. As a result, Musk’s total net worth climbed to $439.2 billion, marking a significant milestone in his financial journey. This figure makes him not only the richest person in the world but also the first to breach the $400 billion mark. SpaceX’s continued success, especially with government contracts and its ambitions to send humans to Mars, played a pivotal role in Musk’s growing fortune. The company’s value has been bolstered by lucrative deals with NASA and the U.S. government, securing its position as the most valuable private startup globally. Donald Trump presidency’s impact on rise in Elon Musk’s wealth Musk's wealth trajectory has also been influenced by political events in the U.S., particularly the election of Donald Trump as president. In late 2022, Musk experienced a notable dip in his net worth, losing over $200 billion in value due to market fluctuations and challenges with Tesla's stock price. However, the political landscape shifted significantly when Trump was re-elected in the latest U.S. election. Tesla’s stock saw a significant increase of approximately 65% following Trump’s victory. Investors speculated that Trump’s policies would benefit Musk’s companies, particularly Tesla, by reducing competition and eliminating tax credits for electric vehicles, which would favor Musk’s business. These expectations led to a surge in Tesla’s stock, further increasing Musk’s wealth. Additionally, Musk has been an influential supporter of Trump, both financially and publicly. He has made substantial contributions to Trump’s election campaign and has been vocal in his support of the former president’s policies. Musk’s strong political ties are seen as a contributing factor to the positive market response to Trump’s win. Elon Musk’s expanding business ventures Beyond his ventures in space and electric vehicles, Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, has also seen significant growth. Since its launch in May 2023, xAI has doubled in value, reaching an estimated worth of $50 billion. The company’s focus on AI and machine learning has attracted substantial investments, partially fueled by the political climate and Musk’s business strategy. Musk’s role in the Trump administration is also expected to further influence his financial empire. He has been nominated as the co-head of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, a position that will give him greater influence over government operations and potentially benefit his businesses. Musk’s involvement in Trump’s administration could lead to more favorable policies for his companies, particularly SpaceX and Tesla, as both rely on government contracts and regulatory support. SpaceX’s continued success and the future In addition to his individual business ventures, Musk’s flagship company, SpaceX, remains a major contributor to his wealth. SpaceX’s success is largely due to its long-standing relationship with the U.S. government and its ambitious plans for space exploration. The company’s recent $1.25 billion insider share sale further boosted its valuation and solidified its place as the world’s most valuable private startup. SpaceX’s partnership with NASA and the U.S. government has been a key factor in its success. The company is tasked with various missions, including launching satellites, resupplying the International Space Station, and developing technologies to send humans to Mars. Musk’s vision of interplanetary travel and space colonization has garnered widespread support, including from President Trump, who has expressed enthusiasm for SpaceX’s goals during his campaign speeches. Also read | NYT Connections Hints and Answers for December 11 | Apple iPhone 16 Pro available for Rs 71,050 on Flipkart
